Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
Andrew

Sorry to be a right pedant (and thank you for the name check), but do you want views on which rifles in each period were the best, or our favourites? The two aren't quite the same thing.

For example, I do rather like Webley MkIIIs. But I can't honestly claim that, in terms of performance rather than finish, they were ever the best.

And (God, I am a pain) match rifles and sporters only really started diverging seriously from about 1960. Before then (and later for many), a match rifle was a sporter fitted with an aperture.

Anyway, my nominees for best, but with a hint of favourite:

1918-60:

HW35
Sheridan Model A
Walther LG52 (near miss in this category - Diana 27)

1960-1980

HW80
Crosman 160
FWB Sport

1980-2005

Webley Tomahawk
Webley Longbow
HW77 (25mm).

Honourable mentions: Whiscombes, proper HW85.

That's assuming I can't mention ultra-rare stuff like Venom Mach 1s or Bowkett one-offs.

Good points, Geezer! To answer you:

1 Yes, favourites as opposed to best. Often, they will be one and the same but not always and that is where the personal comments come in and there is therefore a degree of sentiment here. We know, for example, that PCPs are generally better than springers but the former do not have what Lakey referred to as 'a soul'. You might therefore wish to alter your own choice, with personal comments added?

No reason why you cannot mention one-offs, so long as they were generally available around the country.

2 Any sporter that takes an aperture qualifies and so does any match rifle used for sporting purposes. I will add a further note to the original thread.

Meanwhile, I am going to look up some of the rifles you have already mentioned, with which I am unfamiliar. I find this type of discussion enables readers to become familiar with a greater range of makes and models.