Hakim Military Trainer

[45flint]

John Milewski did a great two piece article on these rifles recently in Airgun World. (His articles are the only reason I subscribe) I was not new to them and had been looking for one that was a reasonable price and wasn’t beat to death. This one arrive from a auction today and seems to fit the bill. These are just a great story and John wrote it so very well. A true military trainer that looks like it’s been in combat. I was surprised how nice the metal was on mine. The wood was scared but not awful and to me adds to the character of the piece. Last pic is the serial number in Arabic, thanks to John for the translation #1786. I doubt there is another trainer that is better built and it certainly gives you the total feel of a military rifle?

https://imgur.com/gallery/U44B1dK

[Shed tuner]

i do like them, but as you say, hard to find at sensible prices and not mullered...

the mars and the vz-whatever-it-is are also on my list...

[Josie & John]

John Milewski did a great two piece article on these rifles recently in Airgun World. (His articles are the only reason I subscribe) I was not new to them and had been looking for one that was a reasonable price and wasn’t beat to death. This one arrive from a auction today and seems to fit the bill. These are just a great story and John wrote it so very well. A true military trainer that looks like it’s been in combat. I was surprised how nice the metal was on mine. The wood was scared but not awful and to me adds to the character of the piece. Last pic is the serial number in Arabic, thanks to John for the translation #1786. I doubt there is another trainer that is better built and it certainly gives you the total feel of a military rifle?

https://imgur.com/gallery/U44B1dK

That is very good of you to say so - I feel very flattered.

I agree these are excellent rifles and somewhat reminiscent of a Mauser in many ways.

Kind regards,

John

[Jerry Cornelius]

I doubt there is another trainer that is better built and it certainly gives you the total feel of a military rifle?

https://imgur.com/gallery/U44B1dK

VZ35. Puts a grin on your face when you fix the bayonet

Tom Gaylord has a very good strip down of these (hakims) on his blog.

I agree though they are great fun.

[45flint]

VZ35. Puts a grin on your face when you fix the bayonet

Tom Gaylord has a very good strip down of these (hakims) on his blog.

I agree though they are great fun.

I would love a VZ35. Only ones I have seen were very expensive! If you have to choose; 22 pellets win pretty easily over odd size round balls? Actually if money is not the issue, my first choice would be a first variant Diana 58 with the bolt or perhaps a BSA military?

[45flint]

I read that tha Hakim has lead in the stock to give it more wait. Does anyone know if that’s true?

[Jerry Cornelius]

I would love a VZ35. Only ones I have seen were very expensive! If you have to choose; 22 pellets win pretty easily over odd size round balls? Actually if money is not the issue, my first choice would be a first variant Diana 58 with the bolt or perhaps a BSA military?

I would guess not many VZs made it to the states. I think I’ve only seen two 35s here, the 47 is more common. I think it is fair comment that looked at purely as an air rifle the hakim is well ahead.

The odd sized balls are actually not that hard to find, in the uk anyway. And I believe there is a standard shotgun pellet size that can also be used.

Both the Diana and the BSA would be fantastic finds.

[draitzer]

Actually the VZ rifles do appear somewhat regularly in the USA, usually quite overpriced being offered by military firearms folks. A military-surplus outfit brought in a slew of VZ47's around the early 90's when a lot of Eastern Bloc items became available. These are usually in very good shape and a bit more reasonably priced, although to me they aren't quite as classy as the 35.

Don R.

[Garvin]

That Hakim looks better than most, Steve, especially the metalwork. I agree John's articles on the Hakim were excellent.

I owned one at one time and was impressed with its size and heft - no doubt deliberate. It was very accurate and quite powerful, as you'd expect from an aigun made by Anschutz.

Hard not to imagine Egyptian squaddies dragging it through an assault course!


Edit: I've just been reading John Atkins superb article in Air Gunner on postwar German military trainers. Unmissable!

For details on how to get it if you haven't already (£15 a year online only!), here is a link, at the end of this para I wrote in my web links post in the gallery:

- The very best paid-for read on vintage airguns anywhere is John Atkins' articles in Air Gunner magazine. Declaration: I have no financial interest. Alone they make buying a digital subscription worthwhile, plus you get access to an archive of issues which goes back more than 9 years - that is hundreds of large-size pages of top-quality, full-colour articles on vintage airguns, all of which can be downloaded as PDFs. After four decades of writing for magazines, it's no exaggeration to say that Mr Atkins is the most knowledgeable vintage airgun writer in the world. Also, his previous professional life as a newspaper artist and designer means his articles have the most amazing illustrations and photographs. It's a 'no brainer'! https://www.subscriptionsave.co.uk/Magazines/Shooting-Magazines/Air-Gunner/MAG7D01B

[Unframed Dave]

I don't remember seeing those stampings on the back of the cylinder before. I'll have to have a look at mine when I get home.

Cracking rifles and quite a pleasure to shoot.

Dave

[45flint]

I don't remember seeing those stampings on the back of the cylinder before. I'll have to have a look at mine when I get home.

Cracking rifles and quite a pleasure to shoot.

Dave

John said in his article it was the stamp of Egyptian government ownweship. That was the symbol on the Egyptian flag until 1952. Has a nice symbolism each star represents a religion in Egypt: Muslim, Jewish, and Christian.

[45flint]

That Hakim looks better than most, Steve, especially the metalwork. I agree John's articles on the Hakim were excellent.

I owned one at one time and was impressed with its size and heft - no doubt deliberate. It was very accurate and quite powerful, as you'd expect from an aigun made by Anschutz.

Hard not to imagine Egyptian squaddies dragging it through an assault course!


Edit: I've just been reading John Atkins superb article in Air Gunner on postwar German military trainers. Unmissable!

For details on how to get it if you haven't already (£15 a year online only!), here is a link, at the end of this para I wrote in my web links post in the gallery:

- The very best paid-for read on vintage airguns anywhere is John Atkins' articles in Air Gunner magazine. Declaration: I have no financial interest. Alone they make buying a digital subscription worthwhile, plus you get access to an archive of issues which goes back more than 9 years - that is hundreds of large-size pages of top-quality, full-colour articles on vintage airguns, all of which can be downloaded as PDFs. After four decades of writing for magazines, it's no exaggeration to say that Mr Atkins is the most knowledgeable vintage airgun writer in the world. Also, his previous professional life as a newspaper artist and designer means his articles have the most amazing illustrations and photographs. It's a 'no brainer'! https://www.subscriptionsave.co.uk/Magazines/Shooting-Magazines/Air-Gunner/MAG7D01B

Thanks for the heads up, the digital subscriptions have been awesome for me here in the US. Didn’t really know that much about Air Gunner. Airgun World has been fun even though I blow by many articles on modern guns.

[Geezer]

I regret not buying one when they first came into the U.K. (early 90s?). I think they were £150. Which seemed like a lot back then.

[johnbaz]

A friend of mine sent me these pics of a VZ35 Military Trainer, I think it's his gun but it may be someone elses that he worked on! (He's a very able gunsmith )











He also sent me pics of a very early Push to cock BSA prototype that never made production, Pretty sure he was making it actually shoot for someone!


John

[45flint]

Interesting just read that the odd U shaped piece on the top of the Hakim is not just a representation of the slide of the real rifle, but is a grenade sight for the cadet to get used to? Rifle grenades were very commonly used. Sounds plausible, trying to see if original rifle had similar?