Most underrated air rifle.

[LESS THAN FORTUITOUS KENNETH]

I think this is the case. It is a below-standard tool that cannot shoot well without 20 hours work on it, feels and looks horrible and denies the joy of precision which is the essence of shooting a rifle. Like learning to play tennis with a pound-shop frying pan.

I agree. It's probably the one rifle which has put more people off pursuing the hobby further than any other gun made. The gun has probably been responsible for more anti social behaviour regarding air rifles than any other. It is the choice of Billy F***wit who intends shooting the neighbours windows out. Dare I say it, shooting peoples pets. Taking pot shots at passing trains. The list goes on. Just my take on it like.

[Drew451]

The early HW50,it had the same size internals as the HW55 but hardly got a mention back in the day.

Yes, definately one of the most underrated guns. Was the favourite hunting gun of one of the airgun writers. Cant recaĺl who it was but it didnt seem to do it much good.

[secretagentmole]

Yes some of that is true, liking the analogy there too BUT...it's a full power rifle that can be bought brand new for £34.99, what do you want for the money?

The B2 was my first rifle when I was 11. At the time, my joy was shooting holes in bean tins down the garden, and I can assure you the B2 did a grand job. I was happy but think my dad realised it wasn't up to much and got me a Meteor a few weeks later.

It baffles me that people can knock it for what it costs. So, I think it is underrated in that sense.

Cheers
Greg

My point precisely.

[secretagentmole]

I agree. It's probably the one rifle which has put more people off pursuing the hobby further than any other gun made. The gun has probably been responsible for more anti social behaviour regarding air rifles than any other. It is the choice of Billy F***wit who intends shooting the neighbours windows out. Dare I say it, shooting peoples pets. Taking pot shots at passing trains. The list goes on. Just my take on it like.

The same could be said of Meteors and all the other rifles that are at the bottom end of the market, don't just blame the B2!

[Thegreg]

Never owned an Eclipse, but, really? Long TP, clunky loading, odd alloy cylinder, and never liked the handling of the ones I've held. Omega is far better, and Superstar has fewer issues. And neither compare to a 77.

Yes, definitely! The loading is far from clunky. Transfer port is spring loaded so pops up when you release the catch, pellet in, then click it back down. Oh, and it completely removes the risk of your index finger and thumb being smashed to pulp if the bear trap (did they have one?) fails on the HW77, or dropping the pellet into the sliding port (come on Weihrauch owners, you've all done it!) and shaking the rifle upside down to get it out.

The receiver & breech on the Eclipse was engineering innovation. It was alloy to lighten it, not to save costs, and the deep black polished anodised finish was as good as the best blued steel. Very well balanced rifle and as already been mentioned very accurate.

I've shot Eclipse's for 15 years and never had an issue, and I've owned 4, still got 2.

Cheers
Greg

[Benelli B76]

Someone mentioned the Relum Tornado and I just recovered from choking on my breakfast.

Baz

[Hsing-ee]

The same could be said of Meteors and all the other rifles that are at the bottom end of the market, don't just blame the B2!

The Meteor can shoot into a 1" circle at 25 yards in any of its manifestions. The cheapie Gamos had manageable triggers and looked nice. Even the Relums had decent build quality and felt like serious equipment. The Baikal 38 was an elegant little copy of a pre-War Haenal and could shoot fingernail groups at 10 meters. The B2 has a door-latch trigger and build quality that makes a 70s Skoda seem like a flipping Rolls Royce, and the damn things group like a shotgun.

[Shed tuner]

Meteor... and if BSA had put a sensible seal on it to give 11 FP, then it would have been even better, for even longer... with a decent trigger it would be a 99s without the gauling

Also the Scorpion pistol. I love them. Nothing these days competes. But I see little love for them...

[Hsing-ee]

Yes, definately one of the most underrated guns. Was the favourite hunting gun of one of the airgun writers. Cant recaĺl who it was but it didnt seem to do it much good.

That was the BBS's BTDT. He spent a fortune customising a HW50, the Venom lot got the power up to 11 fpe and he had it dressed in a fancy stock.

At the time people were obsessed with muzzle energy, even though no-one owned a chronograph. When I mean obsessed, they were fixated on tiny fractions of a foot-pound. Encouraged by the magazines, they would all want '11.9 foot-pounds'. So 11 would have been seen as weedy, even though there would be no practical difference in the field and on the range to have the extra 0.9 fpe. I think the importers were not interested in pushing the HW50 when they could sell a HW35 for a slightly higher profit. Airgun shooters wanted alot of gun for their money in those days when people only owned one rifle, so a HW35 would win out, and it had the reputation as a hunting gun whereas the 50 was an unknown, and possibly an air-rifle designed for the wife. Before PCPs shooters were not so sensitive about a rifle being 'too heavy' so the lightweight aspect of the 50 would not be a selling point.

Like you say the old 50 was underrated and there are very few around in the UK. Plenty in Germany though, so have a look at eGun.de for one if you are after an original. Of course the modern version, the HW99S, is having the last laugh nowadays.

[MartynB]

i think the most underrated would be...Anschutz 335...what do other folks think

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

[Muskett]

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.

[lensman57]

Hw98.

[Hsing-ee]

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.

How can the TX200 and ProSport be described as under-rated?

[T 20]

Meteor... and if BSA had put a sensible seal on it to give 11 FP, then it would have been even better, for even longer... with a decent trigger it would be a 99s without the gauling

Also the Scorpion pistol. I love them. Nothing these days competes. But I see little love for them...

Another gun in the same vein that's overlooked is the Webley Hawks MK2 and 3, Jon.

These had near enough the same bore and stroke as the early HW77 but had bloody horrible piston seals and an overly large transfer port.

Machine the piston to take a 25mm Weihrauch seal and sleeve the port down and you have a 12 ftlb gun using the original Spring.

[SRV1]

Mmmm...For a skinny light BSF S60 with a leather piston washer, my two old ones don't half pack a punch, don't see or hear much about them? Were they rated good, bad, indifferent?