Browning Airstar not for the faint of heart, lol

[Hsing-ee]

Suddenly my curiosity and interest in being a Browning owner has evaporated. Saved me £400, thanks for this post.

[DT Fletcher]

Great post!

To me, this is a clear reminder of the decocking issue seen in the old Girandoni and also the London Air canes: difficulty of safely decocking. Like as seen with later versions of the Girandoni, there needs to be a decocking override button to bring the gun to a safe decocked state.

The inherent danger of the Girandoni type is memorialized in the Meriwether Lewis journal and the air gun accident on Bruno Is.

This Browning safety issue sounds even worse.

[45flint]

Suddenly my curiosity and interest in being a Browning owner has evaporated. Saved me £400, thanks for this post.

Probably wise but I am still enjoying mine but my entry point was £155. Actually the stuck safety was probably a blessing cause it made me find my way inside very quickly. It's two screws to get the stock off and that gave me access to all the mechanics. Had some Beeman Spring oil and lubed the spring and the chain and gears. It did quiet down the mechanics some. Have not had issues with the safety since I lubed it. New battery is still going strong after 3 days and probably 75? shots. I thought the Windstar had potential but the accounts above make me want to pass. I think the inherent flaws of no manual decocking and potentially inability to fire of the AirStar is pretty fatal, unless you feel comfortable going inside and doing it yourself.

[Jimny4x4]

Probably wise but I am still enjoying mine but my entry point was £155. Actually the stuck safety was probably a blessing cause it made me find my way inside very quickly. It's two screws to get the stock off and that gave me access to all the mechanics. Had some Beeman Spring oil and lubed the spring and the chain and gears. It did quiet down the mechanics some. Have not had issues with the safety since I lubed it. New battery is still going strong after 3 days and probably 75? shots. I thought the Windstar had potential but the accounts above make me want to pass. I think the inherent flaws of no manual decocking and potentially inability to fire of the AirStar is pretty fatal, unless you feel comfortable going inside and doing it yourself.

Odd how a little oil on a 20 year + old gun can make it perform better ..lol
On a more serious note basing buying criteria on one/two reviews is a non starter .
We treat our airguns badly here in the UK - they get all sorts of damage and you wouldn't believe what sort of things you see inside them .
I've been after a DE Rutten break barrel airrifle - like most design board tweaked springers it'll be a nightmare once opened - but only for the first time ! Bike chain cocking Park's are another fine example - if you were offered a broken one for free - guess nobody in their right mind would complain ?
As for these two specific Rutten , rarely seen I hasten to add - prices have been going higher and higher . One of the latter Mach 1's selling online now for £650 .
As we are all here in the Collector's Corner .... when things do go wrong as soon as a gun design leaves the factory , thats what makes for scarce things - that then become really really rare .

[45flint]

Odd how a little oil on a 20 year + old gun can make it perform better ..lol
On a more serious note basing buying criteria on one/two reviews is a non starter .
We treat our airguns badly here in the UK - they get all sorts of damage and you wouldn't believe what sort of things you see inside them .
I've been after a DE Rutten break barrel airrifle - like most design board tweaked springers it'll be a nightmare once opened - but only for the first time ! Bike chain cocking Park's are another fine example - if you were offered a broken one for free - guess nobody in their right mind would complain ?
As for these two specific Rutten , rarely seen I hasten to add - prices have been going higher and higher . One of the latter Mach 1's selling online now for £650 .
As we are all here in the Collector's Corner .... when things do go wrong as soon as a gun design leaves the factory , thats what makes for scarce things - that then become really really rare .

I know of no Rutten break barrel? I only know of three models made? Airstar, Windstar, Pro.

[Jimny4x4]

Well neither did I .
The last issue of that American airgun mag that people here whinge about costing too much , taking too long to get - dropped thru me letterbox - reasonable in depth article on the Rutten Winstar Mach 1 DE , and with some reference to the rest of the line-up - so now all up to speed
Fraid for some people though these may all be too uniquely strange -

[45flint]

Well neither did I .
The last issue of that American airgun mag that people here whinge about costing too much , taking too long to get - dropped thru me letterbox - reasonable in depth article on the Rutten Winstar Mach 1 DE , and with some reference to the rest of the line-up - so now all up to speed
Fraid for some people though these may all be too uniquely strange -

Just went online and purchased the magazine, thanks for the tip. I am current caught up in the uniquely strange?

[Jimny4x4]

I am looking for the Rutten break barrel job - have more chance in US than here methinks

[45flint]

Well neither did I .
The last issue of that American airgun mag that people here whinge about costing too much , taking too long to get - dropped thru me letterbox - reasonable in depth article on the Rutten Winstar Mach 1 DE , and with some reference to the rest of the line-up - so now all up to speed
Fraid for some people though these may all be too uniquely strange -

I just got my copy of Airgun Hobbyist today and it is a very good article on the Rutten line, far more extensive than in the blue book. Some of these must be exceedingly rare? I saw a copy on line of the Winstar Mach 1 manual and it referenced the 200 and 250 DE, but have never seen or heard of these? And as you said a break-barrel? And other Browning variations.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rutt...rrrZvTb5iPiJM:

[45flint]

New RC battery pack is up to 400 shots on first charge and still going. I stayed with Nicd cause the charger is geared to them and in reading the newer batteries are not really better just less toxic to environment. Been flawless.

[Jimny4x4]

I just got my copy of Airgun Hobbyist today and it is a very good article on the Rutten line, far more extensive than in the blue book. Some of these must be exceedingly rare? I saw a copy on line of the Winstar Mach 1 manual and it referenced the 200 and 250 DE, but have never seen or heard of these? And as you said a break-barrel? And other Browning variations.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rutt...rrrZvTb5iPiJM:

Glad you got to read up .
Yes the break barrel versions never seen here ( UK ) .
All these Rutten made / Browning are rare .
Oddly the one seen most here in UK anyway , is the early electric cocking Rutten made for Browning .