Fake Factory Models

[Hsing-ee]

Has anyone come across a fake of a non-existent factory model? Something that has been crafted to look like a factory job but isn't?

Like if someone got hold of a BSA Meteor Cadet and made a faux SLR (FN FAL) trainer out of it, like the Rossi Sport 82 or EB79, and then claimed that it came out of BSA but as it was not commercially available there was no mention in the Press about it, and only a few were made and were rejected by the MoD. So no paper trail and 'it's worth £1500'.

Well, did it happen?

[Geezer]

The nearest I can remember recently was the infamous idiot on Freeads seemingly mating a BSA Buccaneer barrel to a Scorpion and claiming it was a rare BSA prototype. Along with all his other bogus attempts to describe his recent auction purchases as long-standing items from his personal collection that had been serviced by his “airsmith”.

There was a thread recently on Collectables about an auction of “Theoben prototypes”, which description was probably a bit misleading.

And, though I have zero evidence for this, it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point someone had in good faith, say, knocked up a replica BSA military pattern that later got represented as an original.

Plenty of questionable “Venoms” around, of course.

But I’ve never heard of anything like the thing you mention. Is that an actual thing, or a thought experiment?

[Hsing-ee]

The nearest I can remember recently was the infamous idiot on Freeads seemingly mating a BSA Buccaneer barrel to a Scorpion and claiming it was a rare BSA prototype. Along with all his other bogus attempts to describe his recent auction purchases as long-standing items from his personal collection that had been serviced by his “airsmith”.

There was a thread recently on Collectables about an auction of “Theoben prototypes”, which description was probably a bit misleading.

And, though I have zero evidence for this, it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point someone had in good faith, say, knocked up a replica BSA military pattern that later got represented as an original.

Plenty of questionable “Venoms” around, of course.

But I’ve never heard of anything like the thing you mention. Is that an actual thing, or a thought experiment?

I thought there might be some around. A long barrelled Scorpion as a prototype? Hilarious. And 'AIRSMITH'? priceless.

I was thinking of making an Rossi type thing but not sure if I can be arsed. And I've given the game away now.

The chap on here who loves Jackal rifles has made up some very convincing conversions with the plastic bodywork .. I guess the Military Pattern could indeed be easily copied. Hmm.

[Geezer]

Ah-ha.

You’ve also reminded me of an auction a few years ago of a Webley Premier that had the exact same “crackle” finish as a Sterling SMG. The description implied it might have had some military connection.

Personally, I reckon some bloke working for the factory in Dagenham realised his old air pistol was getting beaten up, and chucked the frame in the crackle machine (technical term) while no-one was looking on a Friday afternoon.

If you wanted to make an intriguing spoof (I absolutely do not endorse this), get hold of an “army” (nothing to do with the Army) model Osprey Supertarget, parkerise the major metal parts, stamp it on the metal with a broad arrow (which is a criminal offence, by the way, so please don’t) and something vaguely military like a crown next to three random capital letters or numbers, and paint badly a big two-digit number on the side of the butt in red or yellow paint. Ideally, you’d then plant it in the loft of a former REME NCO in Wiltshire to be found after he passed away.

That would keep the 2035 virtual reality hologram version of this forum tied up in knots for weeks.

Or nano-seconds once our AI robot overlords intervened.

PS: maybe someone else has something constructive and insightful to add to this thread?

[walnutfarmmick]

If the aim is get the powers-that-be scratching their heads this is my little ruse. One day when I'm in NZ I going to wander into the bush with a hammer and chisel and carve a few Viking runes on a big rock. I'm prevented from going at present obviously but I now know what the runes should say. How about ' Romans go home'.

ATB, Mick

[Geezer]

If the aim is get the powers-that-be scratching their heads this is my little ruse. One day when I'm in NZ I going to wander into the bush with a hammer and chisel and carve a few Viking runes on a big rock. I'm prevented from going at present obviously but I now know what the runes should say. How about ' Romans go home'.

ATB, Mick

Like that. It reminds me of when the monks of Glastonbury (losing out to other pilgrimage sites) suddenly discovered the grave of King Arthur in their garden, and that either Jesus or Joseph of Arimithea had founded their abbey.

Which is cool, because it allows my mother in Somerset to tell people that Jesus may have walked up the back lawn of her house.

[cinedux]

Donkey's years ago someone fished a Viking helmet out of the Wellington Harbour!!

[Jesim1]

I've seen it with a fake Daystate Platinum a couple of years back.

A guy was trying to sell one which did not look right, on further investigation it seems it had been cobbled together from the parts bins at Daystate by an ex employee who built it in his shed and then tried to pass it off as the real deal, which of course it was not, but it must be somewhere now, and the owner probably thinks he has a "unique" rifle, but for all the wrong reasons

[rockdrill]

Some years ago I was asked for advice from a South African airgun shooter about his 'TX200'.

It turned out someone had taken a BAM copy and had it engraved in the style of Air Arms lettering, re-blacked it and sold it on as a genuine TX.

[edbear2]

Made a couple but advertised the fact, my cut down D even fooled Mr Knibbs ;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...57616789686347

He was convinced it was a light model, and after I explained what I had done said he had seen others which had been cut down, but the fakers didn't go to the lengths of re-tapering the barrel so this normally gave it away. I also explained it was longer than a light so a unique size.

The other is a give-away because of the trigger being 100 years too new

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...57626485415532

ATB, ED

[ptdunk]

Homemade Britannia being sold as an original, nearly a year ago to the day and it’s still on the sellers website:

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....-earth-is-that

Matt

[ggggr]

Has anyone come across a fake of a non-existent factory model? Something that has been crafted to look like a factory job but isn't?

Like if someone got hold of a BSA Meteor Cadet and made a faux SLR (FN FAL) trainer out of it, like the Rossi Sport 82 or EB79, and then claimed that it came out of BSA but as it was not commercially available there was no mention in the Press about it, and only a few were made and were rejected by the MoD. So no paper trail and 'it's worth £1500'.

Well, did it happen?

I was trying to get together a "Webley copy" pistol https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....frankenpistol/ Which is still with somebody awaiting post lockdown testing.

Ive seen heard of a few Relum Tornados that have been cut down and tried to be passed off as Baby Tornados. I think Chris Hough sold his bits for a genuine one to Ogilkes. I've never seen one in real like.

There have been quite a few guns on here that it has been asked "home made or factory prototype"

I suppose a Webley pistol with a big clunky square barrel could be claimed to be a military trainer.

[Jerry Cornelius]

Homemade Britannia being sold as an original, nearly a year ago to the day and it’s still on the sellers website:

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....-earth-is-that

Matt

Good god.

[Huttles94]

The nearest I can remember recently was the infamous idiot on Freeads seemingly mating a BSA Buccaneer barrel to a Scorpion and claiming it was a rare BSA prototype. Along with all his other bogus attempts to describe his recent auction purchases as long-standing items from his personal collection that had been serviced by his “airsmith”.

There was a thread recently on Collectables about an auction of “Theoben prototypes”, which description was probably a bit misleading.

And, though I have zero evidence for this, it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point someone had in good faith, say, knocked up a replica BSA military pattern that later got represented as an original.

Plenty of questionable “Venoms” around, of course.

But I’ve never heard of anything like the thing you mention. Is that an actual thing, or a thought experiment?

Think I might know the bloke you're on about. Cant remember the name but a bloke on freeads had lots of listing and all were "from my personal collection".

He had what he said "a very rare BSA military pattern". But in reality it was just a standard BSA Standard model air rifle that someone had fitted (poorly I might add) into a relum like looking stock.

He told me it was a prototype and he has a friend who used to work at BSA in R&D who confirmed his story.

When pressed more he said that it is obviously a military pattern rifle due to the chevron stamp on the underside of the barrel......

I sent him a picture of my BSA CS model with the exact same V/chevron marking on the underside.

Still would not have it.

[WebleyWombler]

Think I might know the bloke you're on about. Cant remember the name but a bloke on freeads had lots of listing and all were "from my personal collection".

He had what he said "a very rare BSA military pattern". But in reality it was just a standard BSA Standard model air rifle that someone had fitted (poorly I might add) into a relum like looking stock.

He told me it was a prototype and he has a friend who used to work at BSA in R&D who confirmed his story.

When pressed more he said that it is obviously a military pattern rifle due to the chevron stamp on the underside of the barrel......

I sent him a picture of my BSA CS model with the exact same V/chevron marking on the underside.

Still would not have it.

There were 2 sellers i can recall sold from their 'Private collections' but I think the one you refer to J is one from Reading who was nicknamed 'Captain Shouty' on the forums. Something to do with his selling name being a military rank.