Why was the Webley Viscount such a flop?

[MDriskill]

I think there is a reason Air Arms doesn’t have a side lever? But have to agree on Michelle.

As a point of historical interest, sidelevers at one point made up Air Arms’ entire range!

The company was the successor to “Sussex Armory,” which designed a sidelever tap-loader with a military-style stock called the Jackal. Under the AA banner, this action was further developed in the early 1980's into several different models via different stocks, barrel lengths, and an optional self-loading mechanism. The Bora and Mistral were beech-stocked models. The Camargue had a walnut Tyrolean stock, and the Khamsin lovely walnut thumbhole woodwork. All excellent guns, some being imported by Great Lakes Airguns into the US in the 80’s.

I agree that sidelevers can be a little clunky looking, but I’ve always thought the Tracker/Viscount action incorporated it rather elegantly into the overall lines, and the Air Arms rifles were similar. A practical advantage of this design, too, is elimination of the long slot under the fore end typically seen on barrel-cockers and underlevers.