October was a good month: a Haenel 28R and a Targ-Aire Pistol pickup.

[45flint]

I started seriously collecting air pistols when I retire a year and a half ago. One of my first purchases was a in the box, as new, Hy-score 800. I became interested in collecting these early blued spring piston pistols that were made to look like firearms. The Hy-score's history showed it came from a study of several earlier pistols but the firearm look was influenced by the Haenel 28. The Targ-Aire is more of a mystery. It actually went into production in 1947 a year earlier than the Hy-score. Maybe the only milled blued spring powered American entry. Lasted only a couple of years. I was amazed to score a great Haenel 28R example and just got a new in the box example of the Targ-Aire. Will do a future write up on the Targ-Aire but it is fun to see them together. They are all the same length, similar Luger style?, and so well made. I can probably surmise that the Hy-score quickly killed the Targ-Aire. Coming out at about the same time, Hy-score was destine to sell 250,000? over the next two decades. Being stamped metal it must have been a fraction of the production cost of the Targ-Aire, and it was an excellent pistol. Love having collected the group. Trevor Adams did a nice write up on the Targ-aire, but it still seems such a mystery? Who designed it, seems to have no patents, though the ratcheting backstrap cocking seems unique, but probably not unique enough to patent?

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