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Thread: Side Leader springer/ram

  1. #1
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    Side Leader springer/ram

    Other than the big Diana's are there any side lever spring/gas ram rifles in current production?

    Atb. Ora

  2. #2
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    I'm struggling to think of any just now, other than the lighter (junior?) ones from Baikal and SMK.

    It's real shame that the choice is so minute these days given the decent array of sidelevers we enjoyed back in the 70s/80s.
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    i think part of the problem is that with a sidelever, you can't easily hold the lever open when loading... this means you need to either have a loading mech that doesn't invovle you putting your fingers at risk by needing to open some kind of sliding breech (e.g. have a tap, or roller, or flip - none of which are very efficient / accurate), or you go with the sliding breech and you have to implement an ABT (as Diana and the snowpeak guns), but it does make for a bigger bulkier gun.
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  4. #4
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    Absolutely, Jon.

    Such a shame, though, when you think of some of the purposeful (like the Tracker / Bora) and elegant (like the Khamsin / Viscount) rifles that enjoyed this cocking method.
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  5. #5
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    SMK sell a magazine fed, or single shot side lever.
    Very clever mechanism.
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  6. #6
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    I have after market rams in a few air arms sidelevers, they make very nice docile plinkers at around 10.5 ft lbs, no recoil, low cocking effort, very quiet with a silencer and tap loading also good fun with a bipod correctly fitted.

    However gas strutted trackers make excellent cricket bats...
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  7. #7
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    Harsh, Trackers make very pretty Cricket Bats

    Ora

    I particularly enjoyed the rattle when cocking.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by ora8i View Post
    Other than the big Diana's are there any side lever spring/gas ram rifles in current production?

    Atb. Ora
    Although I sort of like sidelevers I was wondering what it is about sidelevers that get a few fans as they are a bit ungainly the way the lever comes out of the side of the gun and you have to hold the lever under your arm for safety also the levers are box section and they just have a lack of symmetry look when you compare with break barrels and underlevers, so what is the appeal of sidelevers



  9. #9
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    I always thought the sidelever gun's looked a bit ungainly and unbalanced, until I had a go with a mates AA SE90. I have shot a Diana S/L and they are definitely more awkward to load because of the sliding breech arrangement. Saying that I absolutely love my FWB300 and think it's worth the effort.
    Les..
    Last edited by les allam; 17-10-2020 at 09:19 AM.

  10. #10
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    If you think the sidelever is ugly only ever look at he rifle from the other side
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by averageplinker View Post
    If you think the sidelever is ugly only ever look at he rifle from the other side


    I know what you mean, they look pretty smart




  12. #12
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    The solid-bottomed stock is an advantage in terms of managing action resonance and general handling.

    The Trackers, AAs etc aren’t ungainly. The D52/54 are a bit, but that’s because they are huge, not because they are sidelevers.

    It’s often claimed that sidelevers have a problem because of the weight of the lever on the side unbalancing them. I have never found that an issue. Far more importantly, the most successful match springers of the 70s/80s (FWB300S, Diana 75) were sidelevers, as were the SSPs that replaced them. So it isnt an issue.

    If anyone bar a few of us on here cared about quality springers these days, there would definitely be a gap in the market for a good one. Like a Tracker/Viscount/AA with a much better trigger and, say, an improved BSA-style rotary breech. It ain’t going to happen, though, because it wouldn’t sell at Wal-Mart.

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