Following on from the best...i think the most underrated would be...Anschutz 335...what do other folks think. Mach 1.5
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Following on from the best...i think the most underrated would be...Anschutz 335...what do other folks think. Mach 1.5
Retired Mod & Airgun Anorak Extraordinaire
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Yep, loved my Arnie 335 .177 loads. Another un sung hero is the Original MOD 45 in .20 cal.
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Done my bit for the BBS: http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....-being-a-mod-… now I’m a game-keeper turned poacher.
may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
Slavia 600 series, Anschutz 335 as mentioned, Original Diana 27, modern HW35, BSA SuperStar.
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Diana 31 / 34
BSA Ultra by many too -
Looking for TO-6 Trigger unit unmessed with or T0-6 kit for 34
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my Relum Tornado without any doubt.
Dodgy Diana User
Originally Posted by Mach 1.5
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Yep, loved my Arnie 335 .177 loads. Another un sung hero is the Original MOD 45 in .20 cal.Anschutz 335 is nice, but they do break the stock mountings (mine has). And the handling and trigger are inferior to e.g. the FWB Sport, which cost the same and was both more accurate and potentially more powerful.
Diana 45 is big, long, and at the time (early 80s) was very highly rated, especially in .20". So I'd say it is more forgotten than underrated.
The Diana 27 is, with the HW30, the best mid-power springer ever. The 30 gets all the love these days. So a worthy contender.
Superstar: see separate thread.
HW35: agree, though I think the older ones are the sleepers. Great quality, excellent performance, but to most just an old break-barrel. Rather than (pre mid-70s) arguably the best springer sporter then available.
I would plump for the Birmingham Xocet/Stingray family. Yes, the heritage is Vulcan, but they have a better trigger and a much better Venom-influenced stock. Very nice rifles, and cheap even now for what they are.
Second reserve: Birmingham Supersport. I bought one on a whim in .22". I think someone very good had had a go at the insides previously (nice shot cycle, decent trigger, excellent accuracy). Not emotionally a favourite, but, objectively, it is in the same field as a lightly tuned HW95, and not far off a good FWB127.
Also-ran (which won't surprise you, coming from me): Diana 34, especially in the fancier 36/38 versions. Never the springer bride, but a very good bridesmaid. As good or better than any non-HW factory springer.
Honourable mention: BSF 55 (and 60/70). Properly solid manufacture. Handles like a Meteor. Hits like something a lot bigger. Odd trigger, very hold sensitive, but cool. I can't say if they are underrated these days (they aren't by collectors) or just forgotten.
On the PCP side, I suspect the earlyish Daystates, AA S300s, and pre-Falcon Titans are, if not underrated, then still very good value for what they represent historically and how they perform. If you like that kind of thing.
Last edited by Geezer; 28-12-2017 at 08:27 PM. Reason: Spelling
may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
Wringing the accuracy out of these is hard, and you could possibly do the same with a BSA Meteor with the same amount of practice. But the most 'classic' of classic break-barrels in my opinion. Very few about compared to the AGW coverage of them at the time.
Banned
Sfs chieftan
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I agree that the small Diana break-barrels, especially 27 and under but also the 35 and later 34 series to some extent are under rated. The 45 is forgotten by some and underappreciated by most.
There are many other guns that are more forgotten than underrated these days. I would but the Haenels under both catagories, though.
The Anschutz is under rated but it should have had its faults ironed out before release. You would expect that from a maker like Anschutz.
Dodgy Diana User
All agreed, but they are 11ish+ ft-lbs rifles, unlike the Meteor. And properly traditionally made. I seem to have acquired two, diminishing the remaining supply (and both in .177").
As I'm sure you of all people know, the mid 70s power/performance race was between the HW35, FWB Sport, BSF 55/60/70, and Diana 35. The BSF met or beat the HW and Diana while being much lighter. Only when the Diana 45 (1978) and HW80 (duh, 1980) turned up did the BSF become obsolescent. Though the 6.5-7 lbs 41" (from memory) BSF 55 still compared well to the 8-9 lbs 44-45" 45 and 80 if you wanted something handier.
On a different note, my view on the Annie 335 is that it was always slightly overrated because it was an Anschutz.
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I had a couple of Mk1's way back when I used for hunting
They weren't a power house but the couple I had in .22 were very accurate upto 25 yards which was the maximum I shot at
BTDT customised a 335 and it was a lovely looking rifle, can't remember name now, Mamba ? (Sorry if that's wrong Jim)
A mk2 with a re-designed stock more akin to the FWB Sport was a good lookers too
Custom BSA S10 .22 PAX Phoenix Mk 2 .22 Custom Titan Manitou .22 (JB BP) HW77 .22 FWB Sport Mk1 .22 Sharp Ace .22 Crossman 600 .22 Berretta 92 .20 Desert Eagle .177
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Annie 335 shoots really nicely but a bit low on power. Other than that not much wrong with it bar the boringly done stock.
Original 45 with the early trigger was a belter both power and accuracy. The .20 were only made in the last years and nothing special; they .20 didn't sell at the time as they really were old hat. The stocks were functional and never given walnut. I just love mine.
Under rated then to me a Park Rifle company 91. Best .177 I've ever owned. Just too heavy.
They all had their two minutes of fame in their time.
AA TX, or even Pro Sport, as they are just so good. Under rated because they are boringly so good and lots sold because they are. Well they are for a springer.
may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
How can the TX200 and ProSport be described as under-rated?
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Because most people don't realise how far the springers had to go to get so good. Most people buy them because they are told they are good and they look smart too. As most are first time buyers they just under rate the sweat and blood that went into the evolution that gave them such fine rifles. Remember AA started off by buying up the plastic tacky Jackal off the defunct Sussex Armoury!How can the TX200 and ProSport be described as under-rated?
may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
Interesting take on it. Underappreciated rather than underrated though. Certainly the TX200 would have been mindblowing in 1979. The younger generation, they have it easy! No wobbly breeches, poorly shaped pellets, inconsistent leather washers, no chronographs, scopes that slid off the scope rails... Things DEFINITELY got better.
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