Favourite Vintage Air Rifle & Air Pistol.

[Abasmajor]

I know this subject will probably have been discussed many times before, but once again I was wondering what single vintage air pistol and air rifle I would choose if I could only have one of each.
The choice of rifle was easy as this BSA Improved Mod D with the factory fitted No12 peep sight wins by quite a long way. The BSA Improved Mod D is the most forgiving air rifle I've ever used, and the peep sight certainly helps with my aging eyesight. Picking a pistol was much harder as I much prefer the appearance of the " Straight Grip" Pre-War Webley Senior, but the "Slant Grip" Senior sits more comfortably in the hand which makes it more pleasant to shoot.
I would be interested in seeing what others would choose if heaven forbid we were restricted to just one rifle and one pistol.




Brian

[45flint]

Very difficult to pick one but I think my custom stocked CZ VZ35 would be it. One, it is pretty unique and it’s in such fine condition, bluing is just incredible. I have lived with this for a while and got it shooting well now with just a lot of 10 W 30 oil worked into its complex mechanism. Also found a supply of excellent 4.45 round balls which it was built for. With this ammo it is extremely accurate. Most VZ35’s are judged with bad pellets. Loading 20 shots in the hopper and cycling them with this configuration of bolt to me is the closest you will get to the feel of a firearm. That and the quality build of a Luger? Custom carved German? stock you would never find on a air rifle?

[laverdabru]

Rifle - have to be my early '60's Webley Mk 3. Always wanted one as a kid. Finally bought one a few years back. Gives me so much pleasure, the feel of the engineering & history.

Pistol - My .22 Hurricane, had it for two or more decades. Have had all the post war Webley pistols over the years, still got a few, but I'll keep hold of this one.

ATB

Bru

[guitardan]

Simply BSA meteor and a webley tempest

[Farsight]

Mk11 Service rifle ; Mk11 Target pistol.

[PhatMan]

Hello to All,

For me :

Rifle - either my 0.177" Walter LG55 Tyrolean or Walther LGV Olympia - simple rifles, yet so refined and so accurate.

Pistol - my 0.177" 1948-1952 Diana Mod. 5 - just such a fun pistol to shoot, with excellent trigger and surprisingly accurate.

Have fun & a good weekend

Best regards

Russ

[Buck25]

Appears that my vintage favorites are slightly older than most. My father and I have always been interested in Quackenbush and Haviland & Gunn pieces. Though it took a while, just under 50 years, we acquired the Haviland & Gunn parlor rifle. We were fortunate enough to find a takedown model in excellent condition. My favorite pistol was made by H.M. Quackenbush and is unique in that it is powered by rubber bands and a percussion cap firing TT caliber shot. I did not know that this pistol even existed until 2000. So this piece only took me 19 years to find one to add to the collection. To read more about this Quackenbush pistol and how it operates, I have provided he following link:
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2016...omes-to-light/

[Benelli B76]

In the springer category, my boxed Diana Model 1 air pistol (with original price of 11/6d) and my 1905 long tang BSA.

Baz

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[Garvin]

Brilliant thread, Brian!

I think my favourite air rifle is this pre-WW1 Diana 17P and favourite air pistol is this 1920s Westley Richards, both of which I treasure.

[micky2]

For me it just as to be a ABAS major pistol and the Webley service rifle. l just loved the styling of both when l first started collecting, and nothing as changed for me.

[micky2]

Appears that my vintage favorites are slightly older than most. My father and I have always been interested in Quackenbush and Haviland & Gunn pieces. Though it took a while, just under 50 years, we acquired the Haviland & Gunn parlor rifle. We were fortunate enough to find a takedown model in excellent condition. My favorite pistol was made by H.M. Quackenbush and is unique in that it is powered by rubber bands and a percussion cap firing TT caliber shot. I did not know that this pistol even existed until 2000. So this piece only took me 19 years to find one to add to the collection. To read more about this Quackenbush pistol and how it operates, I have provided he following link:
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2016...omes-to-light/

Very interesting on the Quackenbush pistol, l never knew about that one. but l do know about other percussion cap guns.

[edbear2]

Don't do pistols really, I was pretty good with powder stuff, but air pustols no

Rifle, well this one;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...7607860743867/

ATB, ED

[45flint]

Presentation is everything! Lol. The pistol on top is a 22 caliber. Only pistol I have John Griffiths didn’t know existed. Didn’t even know that was possible. Plus in a duel I know which pistol to grab first.

[Binners]

Like a lot of Collectors, the favourite is unlikely to be the most valuable. My favourite is a CS BSA with the rare A.J.Parker peep sight, it also has the name of the Marksman that won it in 1957 engraved on the under lever. My second favourite is this one below.

[Abasmajor]

[QUOTE=Binners;7964224]Like a lot of Collectors, the favourite is unlikely to be the most valuable. My favourite is a CS BSA with the rare A.J.Parker peep sight, it also has the name of the Marksman that won it in 1957 engraved on the under lever. My second favourite is this one below.

Hi Pete,

I don't know about you, but I much prefer the BSA No12 sight to either the 21a or the much larger No8.

Brian