Happiness is a BSA Supersport.

[TonyL]

You can never tell with a Supersport, I bought mine for £90 from a gun shop down the west country and had it sent to the RFD I use, my local gun shop has one for £150 (not sure what age or condition), I may pop in and have a look, I suppose it all depends on condition and if it's had anything done to it.

I agree with you regarding the Mercury/Challenger style shot cycle, I always thought a Challenger with a Lighting barrel was the best 'pointable' rifle I'd used but when I swapped the Lightning barrel from the Challenger to the Supersport (I know I basically just made a Lightning) it just instantly changed my mind, I'd forgotten how much lighter the Supersport was (I had a Brum Lightning years ago) compared to the Challenger, the thing that really swings it for me is the Supersport Customs stock, that extra high cheekpiece really does make a difference (the same as the Challenger stock is better than the Mercury stock).

I still find it a bit strange when you pay compliments to anything non HW, I know you shoot and own other rifles and you probably blow your mind when you're at a boinger bash shooting what ever you can get your hands on but normally it's blah blah HW this and blah blah HW that, so it sort of throws me a little when you stray from your HW safe zone.

Pete

Ah, you see, Pete.......although my "later safe zone" may well be more HW biased, my earlier zone was well and truly BSA fuelled. My first "proper" air rifle was a Meteor Super (I sort of conveniently like to ignore the Relum 822) and I loved that little rifle. Joined a club where they shot rimfire at 25 yards, listened and learned and we got on very nicely together. And took a few bunnies and woodies and hundreds of rats.

I also later had a Mercury and the Mercury Challenger. For a good few years, that earlier Mercury was my only gun and we grew to know each other very well.

In the years that I haven't owned BSAs I've missed that great big gaping breech arrangement (especially with the larger 5.6mm bores). I know mine is a 5.5 and Hobbies are actually quite a tight fit when loading. Your .25 must be SO easy (as long as the fit isn't too tight).

Now, and I have also said this many times......in my opinion many UK sporting air rifles are more graceful in their lines and handle more naturally as "walk about field guns" than many of their German counterparts. The German tackle, in my eyes, bestowing more of a "deliberate, targetty feel", if that makes any sense? And I love the stock of Joffy's Airsporter Carbine. That really is a thing of graceful boingery beautifulness.

The early HW77K does feel very neutral and natural, though.

And I also have that Gamo that you also kindly let me have those lovely bits for. By the way, have you forgotten to do something??

Like my TX a lot too, but sorta more in a clinical way. And my Slavia 634 is a keeper, too.

So, I will always love and respect my HWs. Love every one of them. But that doesn't mean that love is exclusive to one brand, in'it? And I love all things boingery and could easily envisage (when funds allow) a Webley or two and an Air Arms sidelever or two too. As well as a LJ Light Pattern.

[TonyL]

she sounds scary, even after lubing her up, no wonder you parted company

Abserbleedinglutely, Jon Boy!

I had a very lucky escape there.