I recently purchased this gun to use as a track and field official. The ammo is inexpensive. The gun has been very effective for the three meets I've used it for this season.

Very good gun

Simply wore out the primer pistol I bought somewhere else. This was recommended to me by a highly respected trainer, so I tracked it down. Built extremely well, made to hold up. Very pleased.

So far am very pleased with the look, feel and operation of this blank gun. This was a replacement for a cheaper version I bought several years ago.

Quality product

This pistol operates easily and reliably (brand new). My 4 month old lab puppy did great with it and i was able to progress her nicely to shooting the gun right beside her to kickstart retrieves. Now Im confident she can handle some next level boom sticks.

First impression is a nice fit. The gun has a heavy feel. operation is smooth. very pleased so far. In the product description. It was recommended by Steve.

I love this pistol. It is solidly made, well constructed compared to others I've used. The only problem is finding 209 primers to use with it.

We use this blank gun in our training program and it holds up much better than other models we have tried. The primers can matter though as we found clarinex primers gummed the gun up a lot but other primers did not.

Needed a starter pistol for dog training and hunt tests. You will be able to find cheaper models than the Alfa but they will not match the quality, and reliability of it. I purchased the 209 primer model. Have used it for about a month now and am very happy with it.

Good quality, Very happy with the purchase. If you already reload shotshells, you should have 209 primers available and not have to worry about getting a separate supply of blanks for dog training. Plenty loud for the application.

I have an Alfa that I used for probably three seasons. It has stopped revolving to the next blank. I am really disappointed as I thought this brand and model costing over $200 would be durable. It lasted only a little longer than the last THREE cheap pistols I owned. I want one to last!

Very solidly built, easy to clean and maintain.

Revolver arrived quickly and had obviously been cared for before delivery, coming with preservative oil all over the parts. Cleaned oil off, dry fired, and several days later actually used the revolver. Worked flawlessly. Revolver is very well made and is a high quality arm. Double action fire is smooth and "lock-up" is perfect. Single action fire is equally flawless. To be frank, it has a better trigger pull than my Colt Detective Special.

This 209 starter pistol is perfect! This is the first I have owned, but I have borrowed many different models. The Alfa 209 surpasses them all. Easy to clean, great feel in the hand, smooth action, perfect weight. It is the first starter pistol that didn’t make me feel like I was fumbling with a kid’s cap gun. ( I am 6’4, 250lbs) I used it recently for 2 Junior hunt tests, to great effect. I familiarized myself with it and did some steady training with my dog before the tests. I went in with total confidence in the Alfa 209. Zero fear that it would fail or hang me up.

Nice pistol, works great, very comfortable to handle.

Using to start track meets. Well made gun. 209 is plenty loud and shells ar one-fifth the cost of 32 blanks.

Very well made, feels like a real firearm. Operation is very smooth.

Gift for my son-in-law who says this Alpha 209 Primer Starter Pistol is great for training his Labrador Retriever.

Webfootkennel retriever training camp uses 100 primers a day in training. We’ve tried every make and model available and the others don’t hold up. The Alfa is a solid well made primer gun that can withstand the rigors of daily use . Spend the money buy the best! I have a collection of broken starter pistols and I’ll only use the Alfa

Just bought my second Alfa primer pistol. My other one has provided years of use but finally needed a little TLC from the repair shop. I bought the second one so I wouldn’t be without while the original was in the shop. A spare or extra gun is always good to have on hand for training days. These training pistols are loud, good mechanically, and economic to operate using the 209 primer loads. It’s a must have for retriever training. I recommend highly. It would have to be gold plated to earn a 5 star rating but this is a great training pistol for most needs. Repair service is hassle free and easy should you ever need it. Only reason I did was because of all the use I put my original through over last 7 years.

Love it, you need it, don't hesitate, buy it.

Love the pistol. Works great . A great quality made pistol. As long as you clean your pistol on a regular schedule it should last a very long time. I used my pistol 5 days a week.

You get what you pay for. I bought junk before and now I own the best.

It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. The first aid kit was way more than what I expected. The first aid book is laid out so it's a know brainer. Explains so one can understand what to do or what not to do.

As a first time buyer/owner of a pistol of any sort, I would've benefited from directions on how to clean the pistol, how often, and what type of oil to use. This was omitted in the user guide. Big omission, I think. Otherwise, the pistol works great, is easy to use and load.

Great training pistol!

A friend of mine has this gun and I really liked it, so when my first, cheap starter pistol died on me, there was no question that this was going to be my new gun. I love it!

I did a lot of research before I bought this starter pistol. Belonging to a bunch of Versatile Hunting Dog Clubs, I had the opportunity to try numerous pistols. The Alfa pistol proved to be the most reliable. The quality of the pistol speaks for itself.

Very solid piece. Trigger pull not too heavy to use double action even with lady hands!! 209's nice loud report. Easy to load and unload. Overall a big improvement over the .22 blank pistol we've been using. Orange grip's a great idea. Makes it easy to locate in the training pack.

So far it's great! The trigger pull is much better than my old starter pistol. Solid made pistol, should last for years.

High quality piece of equipment that you can rely on for years to come. We use these in our trial practices and they are great.

A great product. I wish I had purchased sooner. Ordering was easy and shipped out quickly. Thanks Steve!

Only had this pistol for a short period but like the feel and action. Feels like a solid product and look forward to a long service life.

I am a Track and Field starter and ordered the incorrect pistol. Gun Dog is a very good company and I am sending back the Alfa primer and ordering the Alfa 32 blank starter. Gun Dog Supply responds very fast and gets your order to you quickly.

When you receive the pistol ensure that the excess lubricant is thoroughly removed before firing, other than that it works as designed and intended.

Nice pistol.

Just had a chance to try it at a trial. Best tool out on the market today!

I wanted a training pistol that had a locking cylinder. My new pistol has performed flawlessly since the day it arrived. I expect this gun to last me a very long time. This gun is very well made.

Shipping was fast and quality of product is great! I have already recommended GDS to a few friends for their next purchase!

It's a little off to the left.

Best gun out there. The cheaper ones will work for a year or so, but spend the money and buy this one that will last forever.

Excellent pistol. Finally have one worth the money.

Every high school track starter should consider this starting gun. The retort is loud enough and concussive enough for all automatic timing systems, and you will save at least fifty dollars a meet or more on spent powder.

Was having a tough time finding blanks for my .22 caliber blank gun, plus they were expensive. I got 1000 209 primers for $37

Very reliable.

In the short time I have had this pistol it has operated very well and appears well made.

This is my 2nd Alfa Starter Pistol. Very Satisfied!!

Just purchased my new Alfa pistol, and it works great. It has a nice feel with good hand grips and a solid action.