Rapids

[Rapidnick]

Very difficult to tell a block has been messed with from the outside, and as others have pointed out most things can be rectified. The biggest giveaway to me is a cut out in the stock at the back of the block but even then the internals may be perfectly ok

I genuinely don't see cutaway stocks as a problem as far as the action is concerned. It might mean that the power has regularly been turned up and/or down but so what? There are several reasons why a user should want to turn the power down (ratting in barns comes to mind) but I accept that some irresponsible shooters think it is an advantage to back off the hammer spring for carrying and storage and then turn it up over the limit when they are out shooting. It isn't but some think it is. As I've written before in my view 30-34 ft lb is the optimum for a .22 air rifle. Any more is a waste of air and much less probably not worth taking up a slot on a FAC.
Running a Rapid at excessive power levels (40 + ft lb in .22) over long periods might mean that the hammer preload is too high putting more wear on the trigger. Potential trigger failure (especially in the Anschutz unit which would be expensive to fix) would worry me most so for buying used rifles we all have to take a view on the sense or otherwise of the seller. Nothing can avoid that.

[ken69]

I genuinely don't see cutaway stocks as a problem as far as the action is concerned. It might mean that the power has regularly been turned up and/or down but so what? There are several reasons why a user should want to turn the power down (ratting in barns comes to mind) but I accept that some irresponsible shooters think it is an advantage to back off the hammer spring for carrying and storage and then turn it up over the limit when they are out shooting. It isn't but some think it is. As I've written before in my view 30-34 ft lb is the optimum for a .22 air rifle. Any more is a waste of air and much less probably not worth taking up a slot on a FAC.
Running a Rapid at excessive power levels (40 + ft lb in .22) over long periods might mean that the hammer preload is too high putting more wear on the trigger. Potential trigger failure (especially in the Anschutz unit which would be expensive to fix) would worry me most so for buying used rifles we all have to take a view on the sense or otherwise of the seller. Nothing can avoid that.

As I say, the internals may well be ok. However, it would certainly make me question what exactly has been done to the rifle internally. There are quite a lot of perfectly capable Rapid tuners but believe me there are also plenty butchers. Unfortunately this has been learned from first hand experience on more than one occasion

[Amac]

Having owned examples of all versions of the Theoben Rapid Range over the years, I would have to agree with Nick that the best model I have owned is the one I currently have. This one is a Rapid HM1000 bought new earlier this year. Not cheap, or often in stock for that matter, but a truly superb, well engineered and totally reliable gun that is extremely accurate.
In my opinion, a Rapid is a genuine modern classic, hence their popularity.
Andy

[madcarlos]

The first one you bought sounds really fantastic. To find someone who left magazines in their packets is rare indeed.

Hey yes indeed , I ain't touched them myself, It came in walnut stock, Someone on here posted the pic of the silencer on here a little while back, I had trouble loading pics, This was being advertised for about 6 weeks before I bought It and I th9ugh it was a very good buy, Also on the free page there is a mk1 rapid sat In a tyrolean stock on sale now , well was there the other day as I was supposed to go to Birmingham and do a deal with the chap, anyway cut a long story short lots of people commenting that you can't buy a decent untouced rapid for a good price but I've seen quite a few bargains lately including the one I just mentioned, For me though the rapid ticks all the boxes,

[Blackmax]

Most has been said by Nick and BB.

I have seven in various guises and they are as good as everyone says and better than most models available on the market today. In fact the only gun with the exception of RAW that can compete with it is the HW100.

I also love the fact they're easy to work on, I've worked on a number now but only one with a knackered block and I managed to fix that with BB's help and advice. Again this was one where some plank had put a whacking great hammer spring in it and would the regulator up to its limit.

As an aside Pete made one of his reflex silencers for it and it made just a 'puff' on firing.