Theoben SLR88 Imperator and a couple of others... .

[splosh!]

.177 ? A grand +

ft are 177cal only

[splosh!]

Yea about a grand, the last one sold on here for 900

thanks guy, forgot to say its got the tasco 6-24x40 and lots of spare turret caps with different increments on and the box .

[splosh!]

thanks guy, forgot to say its got the tasco 6-24x40 and lots of spare turret caps with different increments on and the box .

its identical to yours in top pic

[Muskett]

The more common Tasco are with the rangefinding reticules. They were popular and great scopes. I prefer the standard plex which are rarer, and the 4-16is ample on the SLR88. The FT then the higher mag is the one to have.
Both suit the SLR88 for period and usage. A B&L and Leupold from that time too. Prestige rifle demands it in my book.
Lots of those Tascos were used hard. They are not indestructible, so condition is everything. Mint change hands for well over £120, even used ones can, so grab them while you can.

Will a SLR 88 shoot better than a 98? Probably not enough in it to make any practical difference. Where the SLR88 wins is the effort and time lavished on every one. The design and overall build quality. Theoben had to make some design changes and keep the manufacturing costs under control from then on in. It barely shows,, and for me the design just isn't as nice.

Anyhow, exceptional examples are holding and to my mind rightly demand a premium price. All of them. For me any of the SLR88's just sum up that make, that period in airgun history, and just fabulousness. Doesn't make them shoot better, though they shoot well enough. Well worth the space in any serious collection.
The FT was made in fewer numbers. Rare beasts. However, being single loader, with a gap, aren't so pretty. They also miss the magazine thing that made the SLR so innovative. Those who collect FT rifles will want one, and be hard pushed to find one at all.
£900 to £1,200 isn't robbing anyone for SLR88 or FT of that era. Such rarity, quality, and good looks deserve that premium. All the Theobens are worth finding just to enjoy them for what they were.

[Shed tuner]

ft are 177cal only

I know.. I was making sure we were all on the same page

[Shed tuner]

Will a SLR 88 shoot better than a 98? Probably not enough in it to make any practical difference. Where the SLR88 wins is the effort and time lavished on every one.

Every 88 I've ever shot has a noticeably nicer firing cycle than every 98 I've ever shot...

[splosh!]

I know.. I was making sure we were all on the same page

yes I have owned all slr 88 except ultra and sold all of them but im keeping the FT model du to ther only been 27 made? +some one said out of the 27+ made all are owned by members on this sight , be good to see who's got them .

[guy]

yes I have owned all slr 88 except ultra and sold all of them but im keeping the mint FT hamster model du to ther only been 27 made .my mate said he saw one in b.a.r for £1400 and said it was very plain stock compared to mine ,that made me feel good .some one els said the 27 made are all owned by member on hear be good to see who got them .I will start a thread with the serial numbers see if its true as I read that statement be fore I owned up to owning one .

Bar had x2 one without a scope sold for 1000 and the other had a very very nice leupold field target scope on it which I am guessing was worth around 300 on its own, that one was up for 1400. I have heard many numbers quoted all around the 27-30 mark, I have got x2 a he and a pre he. I have seen less ultra carbines for sale than I have FT’s

[Mach 1.5]

I had a ultra carbine two years ago and sold it!! Mach 1.5

[slug-gun]

The more common Tasco are with the rangefinding reticules. They were popular and great scopes. I prefer the standard plex which are rarer, and the 4-16is ample on the SLR88. The FT then the higher mag is the one to have.
Both suit the SLR88 for period and usage. A B&L and Leupold from that time too. Prestige rifle demands it in my book.
Lots of those Tascos were used hard. They are not indestructible, so condition is everything. Mint change hands for well over £120, even used ones can, so grab them while you can.

Will a SLR 88 shoot better than a 98? Probably not enough in it to make any practical difference. Where the SLR88 wins is the effort and time lavished on every one. The design and overall build quality. Theoben had to make some design changes and keep the manufacturing costs under control from then on in. It barely shows,, and for me the design just isn't as nice.

Anyhow, exceptional examples are holding and to my mind rightly demand a premium price. All of them. For me any of the SLR88's just sum up that make, that period in airgun history, and just fabulousness. Doesn't make them shoot better, though they shoot well enough. Well worth the space in any serious collection.
The FT was made in fewer numbers. Rare beasts. However, being single loader, with a gap, aren't so pretty. They also miss the magazine thing that made the SLR so innovative. Those who collect FT rifles will want one, and be hard pushed to find one at all.
£900 to £1,200 isn't robbing anyone for SLR88 or FT of that era. Such rarity, quality, and good looks deserve that premium. All the Theobens are worth finding just to enjoy them for what they were.

Originally the SLR88 FT came with a slotted plastic/rubber insert which fitted into the breech, into which a pellet could be placed, before being probed into the barrel. The downside of this system was that the pellet could slide backwards from the insert and end up in the breech area, where the pellet would be squashed by the sliding beech being closed upon firing.

The only remedy to recover the 'lost' pellet was to prise out the plastic insert, which often resulted in their destruction! This is why some FT's may have an 'open' breech. When the SLR98 came along a .177 magazine was briefly available for it - which fits the '88' ! Extremely rare item though.

When I took my SLR 88 FT to Ben Taylor to have an errant pellet removed from the breech he told me that 50 SLR 88 FT's had been made, but only the earlier versions with the expensive 'Gold Medal' trigger (I think it was called?).
Some of the also were Left hand rifles, which did not have the full on FT stock, but used the Custom Stock CS800, without a hamster. I don't believe one person has 27 - I have seen too many with individual owners.

[topgun35]

Anybody know how many ultra carbines were made?

[JerryD]

Yea about a grand, the last one sold on here for 900

Sold my FT Imperator HE last year for 1100: lovely gun with a beautiful striped stock, but it was sitting there doing nothing. Too much of a "high days and holidays" gun.

https://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23593925

Apologies for cruddy photos, but I just have the memories now






.

[splosh!]

Originally the SLR88 FT came with a slotted plastic/rubber insert which fitted into the breech, into which a pellet could be placed, before being probed into the barrel. The downside of this system was that the pellet could slide backwards from the insert and end up in the breech area, where the pellet would be squashed by the sliding beech being closed upon firing.

The only remedy to recover the 'lost' pellet was to prise out the plastic insert, which often resulted in their destruction! This is why some FT's may have an 'open' breech. When the SLR98 came along a .177 magazine was briefly available for it - which fits the '88' ! Extremely rare item though.

When I took my SLR 88 FT to Ben Taylor to have an errant pellet removed from the breech he told me that 50 SLR 88 FT's had been made, but only the earlier versions with the expensive 'Gold Medal' trigger (I think it was called?).
Some of the also were Left hand rifles, which did not have the full on FT stock, but used the Custom Stock CS800, without a hamster. I don't believe one person has 27 - I have seen too many with individual owners.

sorry mate the 27 member was meant to be members on hear ie 27 made all owned by members on bbs, and not owned by I member, in fact I read it in the wanted section . hope that makes sense. but wow 50 made maybe its 27 non HE and the 50 includes the HE ?

[JerryD]

Is that my old gun Jerry? I had 3 at one point. Nice guns, let down by a poor trigger. All mine were back to Ben Taylor's to have the trigger worked on (when he worked on them), the loading tray issue as described above was also a pain. I replaced one of mine with a single shot tray from a 98.

I sold all 3 I had and have replaced them with a Whiscombe which has the best trigger in the business.

Yes, it was your old one. I managed to find a replacement single shot tray for it. Trigger was ok-ish but not great, but a very nice recoil characteristic. It was justtoo nice for me to use in anything but perfect weather, so it sat in my cabinet. Pretty to look at but too rare/ special to shoot.



.

[Muskett]

Well thats what this section is for, learn something every day.
When I bought my SLR88 I had a choice of three and two FT's. The rest may well still be with that collection Newmaret way. I think most are well spread amongst collections, maybe someone has a couple or even double that. Odd one with just individuals still. Few ever come up for sale.

My SLR has the HE and safety inside the trigger guard so one of the last. Looks best, though some say the earlier ones have the better innards. Some say the HE is more efficient?? I really don't know.
It would be interesting to shoot several, and a 98, side by side just to feel the differences. I think less differences than the Venoms which few shoot/feel the same as so many tweeks were done over the years.

My user rifle is a .177 Fenman HE, an early one with no safety which I like. Not the greatest trigger, well some squidge, but it can hit things. Half as hold sensitive than any springer, though no PCP.