Do any of you chaps know what the difference...

[Punchsteve]

They are bonnie little rifles, I will never sell mine. One thing to watch for is that overtightening the fore-end stock screws will pull the breech jaws apart, causing wobbly barrel syndrome. You can replace the breech pin with the bolt from a Merc-S with a bit of fettling if it becomes an issue. The design is very efficient at turning spring power into muzzle energy, my .22 will do 10 ft/lbs with a standard spring. It's a very cheap design but works extremely well, the only real downside is its rather stiff trigger.

How is that Merc-S I sold you getting along?

Funny you should mention that, the bloke I bought the Meteor from had another Meteor, (he was going to keep whichever one I didn't want for himself). The other one he had, had a very light coloured stock, and was also fitted with a butt pad, but it had the 'wobbly barrel' syndrome as you put it and the breech jaws were noticeably widened. I choose this one because although it was the cosmetically worse of the pair, mechanically, it's sound though it needs a few bits to complete it.

I really haven't had much of a play with the Mercury S I'm afraid. A combination of being ill, then busy, and crap weather whenever I've had the free time, has meant that it, along with the Webley Falcon I bought from Gareth, the Webley Xocet I bought locally, and the HW35e I bought from Jon, are still awaiting for me to have a go. I'm also waiting until I can afford a small scope for it, as after I tried a few shots through it, I've discovered that my eyesight isn't up to using open sights any more.

[Hsing-ee]

it had the 'wobbly barrel' syndrome as you put it and the breech jaws were noticeably widened. I choose this one because although it was the cosmetically worse of the pair, mechanically, it's sound though it needs a few bits to complete it.

The cheap way to repair this is to remove the barrel from the action, (check if the pin is worn etc at this time too, probably wont be) and then squeeze the breech jaws a little in a vice (pad the jaws with scrap leather) until they are narrow enough to hold the breechblock without it play. When you reassemble the rifle, don't overtighten the fore-end screws. You can stick some padding on the attachment lugs if there is too much play between them and the stock. This usually cures the problem without having to resrt to the breech-bolt route.

I really haven't had much of a play with the Mercury S I'm afraid. I'm also waiting until I can afford a small scope for it, as after I tried a few shots through it, I've discovered that my eyesight isn't up to using open sights any more.

Have you tried instinctive shooting with it, without the sights at all? Start by trying to hit a 2-litre Coke bottle at 10 yards, then work your way down to beer cans, soft drink cans, match-boxes and finally Polo mints. It is such a nice handling gun I think you might be able to make quite a good 'instinct' gun. Obviously this is for plinking rather than hunting purposes.

[Punchsteve]

Have you tried instinctive shooting with it, without the sights at all? Start by trying to hit a 2-litre Coke bottle at 10 yards, then work your way down to beer cans, soft drink cans, match-boxes and finally Polo mints. It is such a nice handling gun I think you might be able to make quite a good 'instinct' gun. Obviously this is for plinking rather than hunting purposes.

I might give that a try as soon as monsoon season has ended on Anglesey.

PS: The one (Meteor) with the dodgy breech jaws was the one I didn't buy.