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Thread: John Darling hw80

  1. #1
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    John Darling hw80

    Ok, this is probably one of the most iconic spring rifles ever made, I had a Venom 80 hunter back in the late 80's, but it was a vantage stock and not the same as JD's, i did a post a few years back asking if anyone had an original JD stock, I know for a fact that there were 2 made, the first one was owned by Ivan Hancock of Venom Arms and JD had one, but they are the only 2 I have ever seen, I was just wondering if anyone else has one, or knows of one, I'd be very surprised if there were only 2 made, but where are they, I know where Ivan's is, but have no clue as the whereabouts of JD's, be nice to know if there are any more out there, atb Daz

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    Quote Originally Posted by BAD DAZ View Post
    Ok, this is probably one of the most iconic spring rifles ever made, I had a Venom 80 hunter back in the late 80's, but it was a vantage stock and not the same as JD's, i did a post a few years back asking if anyone had an original JD stock, I know for a fact that there were 2 made, the first one was owned by Ivan Hancock of Venom Arms and JD had one, but they are the only 2 I have ever seen, I was just wondering if anyone else has one, or knows of one, I'd be very surprised if there were only 2 made, but where are they, I know where Ivan's is, but have no clue as the whereabouts of JD's, be nice to know if there are any more out there, atb Daz
    There was a "find" I think on another forum where someone had got one purely by chance. They didn't know what it was but they sent pictures to V-Mach who confirmed it was a Venom one. There were a few made to special order.

    I have seen a Free-ads sale of a factory standard HW80, Tasco 3-9x50AG and the same stock or a reproduction. It was £500 I think. I was tempted just for the stock - I'd sell the scope and rifle probably. This was a couple of years back I think. They are out there but very rarely up for sale.

  3. #3
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    Hello mate, I know of the one on the other forum, that's the one that was owned by Ivan, I'm just wondering if that was the one from freeadds, hopefully someone will know and let us know, atb Daz

  4. #4
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    Was there not a member on here a few back that said they have or new who owns JDs 80 and rapid 7?

  5. #5
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    That would be interesting to find out, be nice to see some pictures of those, atb Daz

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    Quote Originally Posted by ZAKDINGEL View Post
    Was there not a member on here a few back that said they have or new who owns JDs 80 and rapid 7?
    Tell us more
    LOOKING FOR A BSA ULTRA IN .177 and .25

  7. #7
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    Jd hw80

    Let's go back to Sept 1983. Dave & Ivan where at Trapshot and were just producing tuned and custom specials. They did the Hunter, Varminter and Sporter - Specials to order. Their tuned HW80 back then was £112 so add a walnut stock and the price jumps up. I dare say not many were made due to price and the custom rifle was at a very early stage in our airgun history. John's 80 came about when he went on a shoot with Dave and Ivan and liked Ivan's gun that much he had the same mod's done to his own 80. Not sure why John went for the super moon lighter as his scope? But each to their own. Mach 1.5
    Last edited by Mach 1.5; 14-05-2019 at 06:44 PM.

  8. #8
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    lovely stocks

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZAKDINGEL View Post
    Was there not a member on here a few back that said they have or new who owns JDs 80 and rapid 7?
    Yep, rings a bell does that.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mach 1.5 View Post
    Let's go back to Sept 1983. Dave & Ivan where at Trapshot and were just producing tuned and custom specials. They did the Hunter, Varminter and Sporter - Specails to order. Their tuned HW80 back then was £112 so add a walnut stock and the price jumps up. I dare say not many were made due to price and the custom rifle was at a very early stage in our airgun history. John's 80 came about when he went on a shoot with Dave and Ivan and liked Ivan's gun that much he had the same mod's done to his own 80. Not sure why John went for the super moon lighter as his scope? But each to their own. Mach 1.5
    I'd have to dig the old magazines out to remind myself what it was like. So, was it a Vantage stock, or the Hunter, or, more likely, something totally different?

    And, although I had HWs back then with Venom tunes, JD's writings and Terry's test on the Lazaglide 80 spurred me on to getting the Predator Lazaglided.
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
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  11. #11
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    No Tony it wasn't a Vantage, it was much slimmer with an extended pistol grip, almost the same dimensions as a standard 80 stock, atb Daz

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by BAD DAZ View Post
    No Tony it wasn't a Vantage, it was much slimmer with an extended pistol grip, almost the same dimensions as a standard 80 stock, atb Daz
    Gotcha, Daz.

    As said up above, I'll have to dig some of those old magazines out sometime.

    Looking forward to seeing you and the boys in two and a half weeks or so.
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyL View Post
    Gotcha, Daz.

    As said up above, I'll have to dig some of those old magazines out sometime.

    Looking forward to seeing you and the boys in two and a half weeks or so.
    Mate I'm chomping at the bit, it's been a long winter

  14. #14
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    I found that the Vantage equivalent today (CS500) was too chunky so I got CS to slim it down to my own specification.

    Very similar to JD's 80.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/k4nLDW6EQBbUBwmz5

  15. #15
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    That's nice mate, I'd put some pictures up of JD's, but I have no idea how to do it, if anyone has a copy of AGW Sept 83, there's a picture of JD, Ivan Hancock and Dave Pope, sitting in the boot of a Rolls Royce, with a handful of rabbits at their feet, If you look closely at Ivan's 80, you can see the first hunter stock, I believe that JD tried Ivans gun and asked him to make one for him and that's how the iconic JD hunter 80 came to be, atb Daz

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