Production numbers v calibre in older springers

[Geezer]

Thanks, thegreg.

Your figure of 1 in 15 may well be right.

In the immediate post-war years, lead was briefly a controlled strategic material, not for use in such trivial things as airguns. Even when that restriction was lifted, the country was bankrupt, and times were hard. Perhaps explaining why the early Webley MkIII was mostly made in .177”, as the ammo was cheaper.

Definitely the case that U.K. market airguns (including imports like Diana/Original and mid-range guns like Meteors and Webley Falcons) from the 50s through 70s are much easier to find in .22”.

I suspect that the arrival of AGW in the 70s may actually have increased the market for .22”. Their articles were full of phrases like “full power”, “man’s gun”, “knock-down power” (ugh...). All the hunting writers used .22”. Arthur, JD, etc.

Oddly, Webley MkIIIs are not too hard to find in .177” (though the majority are .22”), probably easier than Meteors or similar. Theory: they were used for bell target and nascent 6 yard and 10M match.

.20” and .25” are in a different league. Basically, the commercial idea behind both is to persuade committed shooters to buy another gun. .177” v .22” is a mass market decision, many of whose buyers will not buy another gun, at least not for years. The marketing assumption behind the niche calibres is that enthusiasts will buy them, because they are different and interesting.

If you doubt that, the American domestic civilian firearm market operates principally not on the model of selling guns to people who don’t own guns, but on the basis of selling more and more slightly different guns to people who already own guns.

Ditto here with the niche calibres. I do not gamble, but if I did, I would wager that absolutely no one buys a .20” or .25” as a first gun. They are things that only established enthusiasts buy.

As evidence of which, I have three .20” guns. And more than one tin of .25” pellets, bought just in case I buy a .25”.

[45flint]

Thanks, thegreg.

Ditto here with the niche calibres. I do not gamble, but if I did, I would wager that absolutely no one buys a .20” or .25” as a first gun. They are things that only established enthusiasts buy.

As evidence of which, I have three .20” guns. And more than one tin of .25” pellets, bought just in case I buy a .25”.

Unless you in the US. A huge number of American Airgunners bought their first Airgun from Sheridan in 20 cal. They were the class act of US production from the 1950s-70s. Even now on my US forums there are those that have known no other gun? The love of these now vintage guns runs pretty deep. Crosman who bought Benjamin-Sheridan ended the 20 cal in 2013.

[BTDT]

In 1984 I ran a reader survey in SAR magazine, and one of the questions was which calibres people used.

95% replied .22", suggesting just one in twenty of the rifles sold at the time were .177".

[Geezer]

Unless you in the US.

Of course. I should have said “in the U.K.”. But not now, though there must be some US first-timers going for the hyper-power .25”s?

In 1984 I ran a reader survey in SAR magazine, and one of the questions was which calibres people used.

95% replied .22", suggesting just one in twenty of the rifles sold at the time were .177".

I think I remember it!

Of course, your readership was probably slanted toward the more serious pest controller, so the survey was less likely to be taken by 10M shooters and backyard plinkers with low-mid price low-mid power rifles.

But, as I said above, no doubt that in the U.K., .22” was seen as “best” by huge numbers of buyers, many of whom (eg plinkers with “ASI Snipers” or Relum break-barrels) would have been as well served at lower ammunition cost by .177”s. Back then, a .22” in anything had a cachet out of proportion to its utility.

[piggy589]

In 1984 I ran a reader survey in SAR magazine, and one of the questions was which calibres people used.

95% replied .22", suggesting just one in twenty of the rifles sold at the time were .177".

A guy in our club used to mention the same ratio,he may well of been quoting your survey figures.

I wonder to what extent that figure has currently reversed?