I've just been pointed the direction of an old thread with a jubilee number 1632 with manufacture date of 12 80.
Looks more likely that production took.place tail end of the year
Thanks for the heads up!
Dave
Picked up a rather good one.of these last weekend from one of the good guys on here and comparing it with another a question arose.
Clearly all the guns of this type are dated 1980. However, in line with M&Gs policy up until recent times they have the specific month of manufacture for the individual gun stamped near the little safety indicator cut.out on the rear end of the cylinder.
Of the two guns that have been.through my hands number 0166 has a manufacture date of 09 80, whereas 1555 has a date 12 80?
Whereas I had assumed M&G might spread manufacture through the year alongside other models, it would, possibly could appear that production was towards the autumn/winter of that year.
As these models had a total production run of 2000 are there any other members here that have a jubilee 45 that can.input their guns production date here just for curiosity?
Another thought came to mind in that aside.of the.inscribed breech block and inlaid stock the guns are based around a standard 45 action and it could be that these parts were simply stock piled until that time in the year for a mass assembly!!
Any thoughts? Perhaps even from those who don't have the above model gun but could comment on M&Gs likely production idea here?
Cheers
Dave
I've just been pointed the direction of an old thread with a jubilee number 1632 with manufacture date of 12 80.
Looks more likely that production took.place tail end of the year
Thanks for the heads up!
Dave
I'm partial to 45's but do not have a Jubilee model. However, I believe that these were assembled from the latter half of 1980 and going by your 0166, I would suspect this commenced in either August or September. It is conceivable that the date coincided with the month M&G was incorporated back in 1890. There was a nice feature on the history of the company in Guns Review at one point, a long, long time ago. Anyone got It?
My theory: 1980 was a big year for the 45 so they would have been producing large numbers of 45 component parts right through the year. By late summer, the requisite number of parts would have been pulled into a separate hall and stamped/ modified for the production of the Jubilee model.
They did a 35 Jubilee for continental Europe. Think it was based on the Super.
Yes Europe had the 35S & the UK got the 45.
I once went into a gunshop in Gloucester and found both 35 & 45 jubilee guns there. I didn't realise that there was such a thing as a 35 jubilee. If I had realised its rarity I think I might have come out of the shop with it and possibly the 45 if I could have stretched to it
Dave
That must have been a rare if not unique occurrence. And I'm slightly disturbed to learn you left empty handed.
The 35 is a different beast entirely but no less able than the 45 apart from outright lung power. I'm not sure many will get the chance to pick up a 35 Jubilee but the standard model should be adequate compensation if you get a good one.
My Jubilee 45 is No. 0144 and is dated 08 80. Hope this helps.
Lafayette.
Co-incidentally a friend sent me a copy of the full Diana range catalogue 1980. What a superb range, in my view the best in the world. But they wouldn't have things their own way for long ..
I've yet to sample the delights of a 35, though I'm sure I tried a mates 35 in my mid teens.
I think I recall a similar set up with the 35 jubilee as regards to inlay panels and disk that day. I didn't want to put the gun down but I was just on the brink.of divorce and as much as that gun would have cheered me up no end I couldn't afford it unfortunately
Not so sure I would resist these days- whether I would get another chance is a different question all together
But who knows? I certainly wondering where that gun went. And I suspect it's big bro the 45 may have accompanied it.
I have a 45 stamped 09 80, serial number is 0188. Sticker on the box reads Original Mod. 45 Cal. .177 rifled barrel Made in Germany. Then a nice bright golden sticker on the end of the box which reads Jubilaumsmodell Nr. 0188
Looks a really nice bit of kit and seems to be very well made
Thanks for your input mate and they are indeed real good bits of kit. Having a boxed example is a big plus too. Doesn't seem that many around either. Not sure which manufacturer started the trend for making commemorative rifles as I know other makes also do them but as examples of Diana's gun making craftmanship they are superb. And a good blast from the past too!
Yet another gun made towards latter end of the year.
Thanks again.
Dave