A special Original 75

[RobinC]

Well what a surprise!!!!!

After all this time, ten years searching, and now the original special Original 75 has surfaced, a deal has been struck, and I now await its return!!!!

Then the work will start again, it will require a full internal refurbishment as its been sat in a loft for very many years, so a specialist is already booked to do the action.

The stock, I don't know until I see it other than photo's, but I will do that, hopefully just a cosmetic clean up, and of course its had the stickers removed, but I built a replica when I thought it was lost for ever, so I'm hoping I can use the stickers I made for that, and replace them on the genuine stock, if not I'll need to make some more replica stickers.

The wife is very excited and looking forward to seeing her old rifle again, the one that she started her international shooting career with, aren't we daft, she's still shooting successfully at ahem... (best not say her age!), and with modern high tech small bore, and also 300 mt full bore rifles, does not do air any more, but she's exited about getting back a 46 year old air rifle that started it all!!

Have Fun
Robin

[harvey_s]

I'm pleased for you & Pam Robin - I know you've been looking for the gun for a long time now.
Great result 👍

[BigDuncs]

Great news Robin. Overdue for a catch up in any case...

[wil95k]

I have been following this story for years,so glad you have it back.I hope it brings back some happy memories.atb

[RobinC]

Thanks All,

Its the rifle that started her shooting career other than just air and local. And its a message to all, this is what air shooting can do for you.

She won her first National medals with it, and her first International medals with it, it led her into 3P, small bore prone, factory support from another manufacturer, and full bore prone, (and is still shooting them at high level).

But the one that is indicative of what she felt for that rifle is one not even shot with that rifle, she qualified for the Queens final at the Imperial meeting in 1979 with a 7.62 mm full bore, in guess what stock? Yes, a copy of the Original 75 stock!!!

So it will be nostalgic to get it back, but now a lot of work to restore it to mint condition, and as she last shot it.

Thanks folks for all your support.

Have Fun
Robin

[RobinC]

I picked it up on Tuesday, and have now started work on it, a big restoration, its been sat in a loft for 30 years, but externally just dirty, inside the seals are putty!

The action is out, and will go to a specialist for reseal.

The stock is a superb figured walnut, and its come up nicely, it was the first into the UK and it was for a GB team shooter, so perhaps they picked out a nice one. I've scrubbed the stock with soapy water to get off the years of handling, and done one coat of Danish oil. I will just fine wire wool it down when it hardens. I'm rebuilding the special built up cheek piece to how it was, then its just replacing some of the stickers, I have some original ones, and some I made for the replica copied from originals.

The action in it is not actually the first one in the UK, they did originally give her that, but it failed at the British Championships at Cardiff later that first year, during a shoot, so they switched the action with the one off their stand, and she continued the shoot, and qualified!! Good old days, when manufacturers had stands at our championships! So this one, same year, but was a month or so newer! But it is the one she then shot with for 7 years internationally and won with it, and later sold when she changed to a Walther.

But strangely by a twist of fate we also now have that original action that failed at the championships as well, very spooky, but that's another story!

I'm restoring the case as well, the international stickers on that tell a story as well, another spooky thing, the case has two locks, now having changed hands after she sold it and 40 years, the key had long gone, but in our old key box (every one has one!!), I found the spare key!!!!

It will take a while now, but I'll keep you informed when its done and see if some one can post pics of the final finished product.

Thanks every one who has helped, its been a ten year labour that has now come to fruition.

Have Fun
Robin

[thirdwheel]

I was at the club when Robin got their old rifle back - have you heard the saying "happier than a dog with two tails" well it kinda fits rather well.