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Thread: Actual performance of the Fawke 80, 90 Rifle?

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    Actual performance of the Falke 80, 90 Rifle?

    Been reading my newly acquired 1957 copy of W. H. B. Smith’s book on Airguns. Fasinating thing about this book in the back he is testing many of the guns of this time and they are new and unaltered by years of potential repair and change. It’s interesting that he tests the Falke 90 in .177 and he was surprised that the power averaged only 585 fps? Given these are so rare and probably collected more than shot does anyone have a similar or different experience?
    Last edited by 45flint; 24-04-2018 at 10:56 PM.

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    They do more than that, they are about a 9 fpe gun in .177, or about 720 fps. I think with the right spring and maybe a nylon piston head conversion it will do 11. It is basically a heavy duty, better quality version of the Airsporter with a much nicer trigger and an elm stock.

    If you look through Smith's book the velocity readings are consistently down on what you would expect from the rifles. I think he has the HW35 (might be wrong) shooting .22 pellets at 490 fps. The Falke has a leather piston head which can take many thousands of pellets to size properly, this might have reduced the power . The accuracy is way down as well, this was not a typical example he was using.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hsing-ee View Post
    They do more than that, they are about a 9 fpe gun in .177, or about 720 fps. I think with the right spring and maybe a nylon piston head conversion it will do 11. It is basically a heavy duty, better quality version of the Airsporter with a much nicer trigger and an elm stock.

    If you look through Smith's book the velocity readings are consistently down on what you would expect from the rifles. I think he has the HW35 (might be wrong) shooting .22 pellets at 490 fps. The Falke has a leather piston head which can take many thousands of pellets to size properly, this might have reduced the power . The accuracy is way down as well, this was not a typical example he was using.
    They didn’t have 7 grain Hobbys back then? Maybe I missed it but for all his testing and measurements etc. I don’t see him mentioning pellet weight?
    Last edited by 45flint; 24-04-2018 at 12:31 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 45flint View Post
    They didn’t have 7 grain Hobbys back then? Maybe I missed it but for all his testing and measurements etc. I don’t see him mentioning pellet weight?
    No they didn't have any good pellets at all back then.

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    1. Smith wrote a great book, but, a bit like Wesley, I think you have to take some of his findings with a pinch of salt. Especially when they don't match later research.

    2. However, this is a helpful reminder that the much-sought-after Falke may trade more on its rarity than its performance. A similar effect may apply to the BSF S54 in comparison to other contemporary underlevers that sold for longer in larger numbers, like the D50, Airsporter, MkIII. Let alone the ultra-rare Anschutz sporter version of the Hakim. In collecting, more desirable does not always equal better.

    3. Very open to views from others, but as I see it, almost all pellets until the 60s were indifferent (posh word for bad).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    1. Smith wrote a great book, but, a bit like Wesley, I think you have to take some of his findings with a pinch of salt. Especially when they don't match later research.

    2. However, this is a helpful reminder that the much-sought-after Falke may trade more on its rarity than its performance. A similar effect may apply to the BSF S54 in comparison to other contemporary underlevers that sold for longer in larger numbers, like the D50, Airsporter, MkIII. Let alone the ultra-rare Anschutz sporter version of the Hakim. In collecting, more desirable does not always equal better.

    3. Very open to views from others, but as I see it, almost all pellets until the 60s were indifferent (posh word for bad).
    Just finishing reading a review of the BSF S54
    https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2006...r-of-the-past/

    Seems these quality guns in the 1950s weren’t in a speed competition, it’s what I find charming about my early Diana 50. Beautiful heavy quality gun doesn’t have to strain to give you power you rarely need. Different era when Chronys were in Universities.

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