Can anyone date these pellets for me please?

[Punchsteve]

Got given a box of these today, and was wondering what age they are. I take it they're for smooth bore airguns?

Any info much appreciated.

[DCL_dave]

Just had a look in my trusty Hillers book which says they are 1940's-50's period.

Hope that helps

Edit: ...and yes, slugs were supposed to be used in smoothbore guns. How many in the box?...Hillers says these were available in 500's, but may have also been available in 100's and 200's as well?...

[Punchsteve]

Just had a look in my trusty Hillers book which says they are 1940's-50's period.

Hope that helps

Edit: ...and yes, slugs were supposed to be used in smoothbore guns. How many in the box?...Hillers says these were available in 500's, but may have also been available in 100's and 200's as well?...

Thank you Dave, yes, very helpful. It says 100 on the box, though I'm not sure how many are left. Seems full though. Regardless, I'm not complaining, they were free.

Are these collectible, or are there plenty knocking about?

[DCL_dave]

They certainly are collectable, but I don't know how common they are?...sorry

Hopefully, some one with knowledge of the subject will see this thread and contribute some thoughts...(Ed, help!...I'm in over me head here! )

[Punchsteve]

Thanks again Dave.

[Iain K D]

Just a thought, but doesn't them being described as suitable for "King, Daisy and Diana" suggest pre-war origins?

Post-war, once Milbro were actually making their own guns, I can imagine (but may well be wrong) Milbro slugs being described as "Specially made for use in all Milbro air guns" or some such similar twaddle.

Iain

[Old Fart]

I can remember buying those in the late 1950's.

[pegasus]

we all used them in the late 50"s early 60"s at school in glasgow for our pop out gats, they were cheap and sold in packets of a hundred

[Punchsteve]

Thanks everyone for the info.

[edbear2]

Just a thought, but doesn't them being described as suitable for "King, Daisy and Diana" suggest pre-war origins?

Post-war, once Milbro were actually making their own guns, I can imagine (but may well be wrong) Milbro slugs being described as "Specially made for use in all Milbro air guns" or some such similar twaddle.

Iain

Hi Iain, I think this is a good theory and you are bang on.....

Millard bros. were around in the late 1800's as a hardware supplier according to one old catalogue, but apart from the post second world war use of the Diana name, the earlier history of Milbro is a bit confusing for me.

I have seen more than one German origin gun stamped 'Milbro' and 'foreign' in the way that many British firms did at the time who did not manufacture guns, but simply imported them (even Lincoln Jeffries did this in the early days).Lots of people wanted to get on the airgun 'bandwagon', and German guns were re-branded by a bewildering number of British importers.

The thing is.....we are talking 1920's/30's and earlier gun types and designs here (the one that looks a bit like a midland / tell springs to mind)......so would they wait until after the war to import these early designs?.....I personally don't think so, the slugs in these ( English made) packets are identical to very early 'King' slugs, and the 'King and Daisy' usage is seen on other late 1920's /early 30's contemporary Lanes made stuff (Catslugs etc.).

So I am guessing Lanes manufacture here (as many of the period were), and branded Milbro to be supplied with their imported guns......I know it sounds daft that people would prefer a 'Milbro' slug in their Milbro gun, when an exact same slug may be cheaper under a different brand, but this sort of thing prevailed right through to the 80's, (and even now......JSB / Airarms etc.), with the mills at Kynock ICI churning out the same pellet which was sold here and in the USA as several different names (German firms did this as well, with most American branded match pellets especially being German).....The earliest I have personally is a 1939 tin of Stoeger Hornets, which actually say 'Made in Germany' on the tin.......(no doubt after the impending unpleasantness of the next 6 years, this credit would be dropped quietly!!!)

The clincher would be a period dated advert of course, and this is how I have re-evaluated several periods in the past of other tins / packs, but I personally would be happy to say these are pre WW2, and although Milbro slugs turn up quite often, and struggle to get over £4-7 normally, the packets on the ones normally encountered say 'made in England', or later 'made in Gt Britain', although superficially the packs look the same....they were still about when I was a nipper in the late 60's, and we used them in Gats and low powered smooth bores.....they are dire in accuracy terms, but a much heavier wasp or other waisted pellet would hardly clear the end of the barrel of a very low powered smoothie , so their light weight was a bonus in this respect.

These were also available in 200's and 500's as mentioned earlier.....

So I go along with prewar in period with you mate, value wise....Milbro stuff is low priced for some reason (a similar period Caledonian pellet and Wasp pellet tin will sell for a difference of 300% or more), but maybe £7-8+ to someone who has a gap in their collection?

Belated Happy new year to all

[Punchsteve]

Thank you edbear for that very comprehensive reply.

[duomatic410]

1950, Tanner a box or 6p or the cost of 6 jamjars back to the meadow(a shop) run them round on your molar to stop them dropping thru john