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Thread: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

  1. #1
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    Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

    Someone once said that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery and also that the Japanese were great copiers, but I’m not sure the Brits aren’t as bad.
    My little collection grows and I’ve just picked up a lovely Anschutz 335 in .22 you can clearly see the linage of the Webley Omega from the Feinwerkbau Sport and the Anschutz. Shame the Feinwerkbau didn’t copy them and have a decent barrel lock.



    I’m very pleased with the little Anschutz and it shoots beautifully with the open sights at 10.5 ft/lbs
    I’ve not stripped her yet but that will be in the cards next for a little fettle and relube.
    The only air rifle I’d like to add to my break barrel collection now would be a BSF 55.
    Great finding these airguns of my youth and now being able to have them.
    Happy collecting hunting.
    Cheers
    Dave.
    People said smile things could get worse, so I smiled and they did!

  2. #2
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    Classics

    You have a brace of classics there Dai though the Omega is simply on my radar only, but not known to me. Clearly the link with the Annie and the Omega is they share a similar and quite effective barrel locking mechanism. Not a shabby one at all.
    I love the 335. I have a few here. The nice ones are in .177 but I also have an old nail in .22. For some years I kept a .177 example at my mother's as a dedicated close range rat gun for rats under the bird feeder. It's accounted for practically every rat that's surfaced there. A miss is rare and always due to me not the gun. They are very accurate guns no doubt aided by the barrel quality and that lock up. The trigger on these guns is pretty good quality though I've detected an amount of creep in mine. But as I don't tinker with that aspect of a gun it is more than possible this can be removed. They are no power houses but don't really need to be. They can be coaxed near the limit but loose some sweetness there. I find that synthetic piston heads release a little more power if you want the gun for more than punching paper. When I had my eye in as a younger man I've attained some excellent accuracy with these guns.
    The Sport is a classic that mixes some superb engineering quality with some aspects of the gun that makes you question what the hell was FWB thinking. The overall standard of finish on a Sport is superb. It's handling is (to me at least) sublime. The die cast trigger is mega susceptible to snapping like a carrot. The plastic rear sight seldom survives that long. The barrel lock is is not the most hardy. And the barrel hinge bolt tends to work loose unless you thread lock it. I don't find the trigger feel on a Sport that bad to be honest but it's clearly not up to Record standards. I had to have one after I had my first HW80 and Original 45. These being the three kings of the wave of German springers available back in the early 80s
    I've had opportunity to pick up an Omega on a number of occasions now, but right or wrong I've passed on the chance each time. Though I still have my MK1 Vulcan vintage 82 I have not been tempted to return to Webley. Though I have utmost respect for the marque.
    Dave

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the reply Dave, like your Annie I’ve owned that Feinwerkbau from new. I had it as a present from my parents for passing my O levels in 1981. It was bought from Optima Leisure products for the princely sum of £72.00! It has accounted for all sorts of things in the years I’ve owned it. The main piston seal gave up 2 years ago and that was the first time I had the gun apart! She’s still a firm favourite.
    I’ve now got the bug collecting some of the airguns of my youth. The Annie is very new to me and was one of the rifles I remember form the early Airgun Worlds not as popular as the FWB and HW35 but still one of the contenders. They all conjure up happy memories and are great fun to have a plink with in the garden and very useful on the odd marauding squirrel! Just not sure weather to put a scope on her or leave her with the great open sights on her.
    Cheers
    Dave
    People said smile things could get worse, so I smiled and they did!

  4. #4
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    Is it a coincidence that when Wallis & Wallis sold the remnants of the Webley factory these included a FWB Sport and a 335.
    Founder & ex secretary of Rivington Riflemen.
    www.rivington-riflemen.uk

  5. #5
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    It works all ways though. and has done over most of manufacturing history. How many close copies of the LJ did the Germans produce?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by I. J. View Post
    Is it a coincidence that when Wallis & Wallis sold the remnants of the Webley factory these included a FWB Sport and a 335.
    The Omega, lovely air gun, well named, well made, too late, too expensive?
    Ah well, there was always the likes of the affordable rolled tube BSA to choose from.
    Last edited by slow_runner; 27-09-2020 at 10:19 PM.

  7. #7
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    I have owned all three.

    There’s no doubt in my mind that the FWB handles the best, shoots the best, but is also the most flawed (trigger, safety, breech lock-up).

    The Omega might have been a world-beater in 1979, but not when it came out in 1984/5, when the FWB was still popular, the HW80 well-established, and the HW77 emerging as the FT rifle of choice.

    The 335 is quite nice, but a bit of a disappointment for something bearing the Anschutz name. Is it actually any better than a Diana 35 or BSF70?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    I have owned all three.

    There’s no doubt in my mind that the FWB handles the best, shoots the best, but is also the most flawed (trigger, safety, breech lock-up).

    The Omega might have been a world-beater in 1979, but not when it came out in 1984/5, when the FWB was still popular, the HW80 well-established, and the HW77 emerging as the FT rifle of choice.

    The 335 is quite nice, but a bit of a disappointment for something bearing the Anschutz name. Is it actually any better than a Diana 35 or BSF70?
    I totally agree on your comments re the Omega it is a wonderful little rifle bar it’s awful looking trigger blade. It’s a real shame it was too late and was at a time it’s impact couldn’t help an ailing Webley.
    The Anschutz is not as nice handling as the FWB or the Omega it has its part in break barrel history I’m glad to have it in my collection.
    People said smile things could get worse, so I smiled and they did!

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by slow_runner View Post
    The Omega, lovely air gun, well named, well made, too late, too expensive?
    .
    Agreed. Perhaps the Webley designers should have bought a HW and copied the trigger unit like Air Arms.
    Founder & ex secretary of Rivington Riflemen.
    www.rivington-riflemen.uk

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