Fake Factory Models

[Thegreg]

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.

I believe the guy you are talking about was called “The RQMS”. Probably nicknamed “Captain Shouty” because he wrote his ads in capital letters.

Some of his descriptions were wildly inaccurate and in short, total bullshit.

I do actually miss the guy, I loved reading his ads because they genuinely made me laugh out loud. The “airsmith” was a personal highlight.

I wonder where he’s pedalling all his crap now Freeads banned airguns....

Cheers
Greg

[Huttles94]

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.

Ahh I remember that bloke, had a Dads army profile picture or something. But no not him, though he did try to peddle some crap.

The bloke I am on about was also a "gunsmith" and had a picture of his business card in every ad.

[harvey_s]

I believe the guy you are talking about was called “The RQMS”. Probably nicknamed “Captain Shouty” because he wrote his ads in capital letters.

Some of his descriptions were wildly inaccurate and in short, total bullshit.

I do actually miss the guy, I loved reading his ads because they genuinely made me laugh out loud. The “airsmith” was a personal highlight.

I wonder where he’s pedalling all his crap now Freeads banned airguns....

Cheers
Greg

I was just wondering the same thing...and if he's 'rebranded' himself.

[micky2]

I bought a Quackenbush first model rifle off a dealer quite a few years ago which was quite a good copy. and l sold it on to a collector of Quackenbush's
as a copy in 2019 at Kempton. he asked how long l had had it, as he had seen one exactly the same for sale not so long ago. but l had mine since 1996 so there are at least 2 of them out there.

[walnutfarmmick]

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

I found the link, thanks Trev. Definitely Fake News., but like a blond, blue-eyed Maori, not one of mine.

I plan to use Old Norse. That'll fool them.

Seriously, though, there seems to be a movement to debunk everything and everybody. Unfortunately once something has appeared in print, or worse still, the WWW, it becomes 'fact' and appears as research. I once googled the hamlet where I lived as a child. According to Wiki there is a brewery there. The former offices were our farmhouse and all that remained of the buildings were footings and what we called The Cut, a short spur to the local river which had been navigable as far as the next village which was a market town in the 1300s. Of Newington Stud, our Shirehose stud farm, is no mention although we were established there in 1938.

Did you ever get a TV programme about a 6th century Irish monk called Brendan who was alleged to have voyaged to America in a leather boat? The exploit, and accompanying book, was recreated in the late '70s for a TV feature. I'd recommend it if you can find it.

And I can't even get back to NZ in 2021. Do you know where I could buy a load of leather. I know where my wife keeps her sewing machine.

All the best, Mick

[oldskoolzzz]

Ahh I remember that bloke, had a Dads army profile picture or something. But no not him, though The bloke I am on about was also a "gunsmith" and had a picture of his business card in every ad.

Do you mean the Mr Hatcher?

Good old Glynn still clearing out his collection I see

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/bsa-free-d...r-Guns/1306854

I used to love freeads back in the day with the odd balls, chancers, Captain shouty and his airgunsmith tunes, sly traders and not forgetting those idiot timewasters that always gave you the sob story they had either been made redundant and can no longer purchase or simply didn’t even bother to turn up

Oh happy days

[Huttles94]

Do you mean the Mr Hatcher?

Good old Glynn still clearing out his collection I see

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/bsa-free-d...r-Guns/1306854

I used to love freeads back in the day with the odd balls, chancers, Captain shouty and his airgunsmith tunes, sly traders and not forgetting those idiot timewasters that always gave you the sob story they had either been made redundant and can no longer purchase or simply didn’t even bother to turn up

Oh happy days

Aye that's him

[bighit]

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?

From the other forum

Quote
Ive had verbal confirmation that Steven Lilley was the designer and seller of my rifle.


That was the tactical Theoben prototype that was in the auction .

[greenwayjames]

From the other forum

Quote
Ive had verbal confirmation that Steven Lilley was the designer and seller of my rifle.


That was the tactical Theoben prototype that was in the auction .

Steven Lilley was indeed the man behind "Theoben"s designs working very closely with the main man behind the company

[IanSea]

I found the link, thanks Trev. Definitely Fake News., but like a blond, blue-eyed Maori, not one of mine.

I plan to use Old Norse. That'll fool them.

Seriously, though, there seems to be a movement to debunk everything and everybody. Unfortunately once something has appeared in print, or worse still, the WWW, it becomes 'fact' and appears as research. I once googled the hamlet where I lived as a child. According to Wiki there is a brewery there. The former offices were our farmhouse and all that remained of the buildings were footings and what we called The Cut, a short spur to the local river which had been navigable as far as the next village which was a market town in the 1300s. Of Newington Stud, our Shirehose stud farm, is no mention although we were established there in 1938.

Did you ever get a TV programme about a 6th century Irish monk called Brendan who was alleged to have voyaged to America in a leather boat? The exploit, and accompanying book, was recreated in the late '70s for a TV feature. I'd recommend it if you can find it.

And I can't even get back to NZ in 2021. Do you know where I could buy a load of leather. I know where my wife keeps her sewing machine.

All the best, Mick

Never saw the TV programme but the book is called “The Brendan Voyage” and was written by Tim Severin.

[Vic Thompson]

In the past when I was a bit more enthused about historic airguns and spending lots of time in my workshop, I inadvertently knocked a few "misrepresented" items out (but have no interest in doing so again these days, thirty plus years after any of my previous exploits).

One exploit in mind was a Webley Service Mk II Air rifle in a grim and rusty condition that i brought for £60 ? I brought two second hand HW35E Barrels for it and re-modelled them to make the whole up to a three barrelled kit. I did this by concentrically welding a section of larger bore rifled barrel onto the end of the 35E barrel (such that the pellet travelled through the last section without bore contact) and machining the whole to Service II profile with a welded on location lug (at enormous cost of of workshop time to myself).

All of this took me weeks of effort and when finished had no value to me (as being non-original) and I sold the combined sum of my efforts for maybe £140 (too long ago to remember any of the details/costs/time etc).

A few months later I received a "Tip off" that my "fake Service" II had been sold via Wallis and Wallis for £400+, and I then contacted the person I'd sold it to who "claimed no foul" as he'd offered it for auction "as seen" (a chastening lesson for me).

In a similar vein regarding the Mk II Service, I've commissioned Rear Aperture Sights in various formats, Long Sears, Safety Catches (ditto various models of Webley Pistols), and repro Service MK II Handbooks.

Regarding the Webley Mk I Rifle, I've commissioned or made myself too many bits to remember.

Regarding BSA Underlevers, I commissioned 350 front sights in various formats and in addition whacked out too many rearsight blades and wheels to remember (ditto Webley Mk III).

Regarding Falke Air Rifles, I commissioned a batch of one of the more complex Rear Sights and sold them through the trade.

And there's loads more of restoration efforts that I can no longer remember, and the people that paid me for my work reaped all of the profit, I claim (in retrospect) that it was all done on my part in the interest of collectors for altruistic reasons.

If anyone thinks that richness was my reward for my efforts they're grossly mistaken, on my part it all came down to serving the Collecting Community.

My last words on the matter (as a dying ember of silly idiots wanting to help others) regarding the Webley Service MK II Air Rifle), I've been speaking to a barrel maker regarding repro barrels in any desired calibre and on an estimated one year delivery they might just be squeezed out for £225 delivered. Is this a worthwhile situ for me to consider with A £60K upfront commitment cost to manufacture ?

Vic Thompson

[sparko]

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.

How very dare you ... 😊

[edbear2]

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.

Christy Moore Knock song lyrics

At the early age of thirty-eight me mother said "Go west!"
"Get up", says she, "and get a job", says I, "I'll do my best"
I pulled on me Wellingtons to march to Kiltimagh
But I took a wrong turn in Charlestown and ended up in Knock
Oh once this quiet crossroads was a place of gentle prayer
Where Catholics got indulgent once or twice a year.
You could buy a pair of rosary beads or get your candles blessed
If you had a guilty conscience you could get it off your chest.
Then came the priest from Partry, Father Horan was his name
And since he's been appointed Knock has never been the same.
"B'God" says Jem, "'tis eighty years since Mary was about"
'Tis time for another miracle." and he blew the candle out.

From Fatima to Bethlehem, from Lourdes to Kiltimagh,
There's never been a miracle like the airport up in Knock

To establish terra firma he drew up a ten year plan
And started running dances around 1961.
He built a fantabulous church, Go h-álainn, on the holy ground
And once he had a focal point he started to expand
Chip shops and Bed and Breakfasts sprung up over night.
Once a place for quiet retreats now a holy sight.
All sorts of fancy restaurants for every race and creed
Where black and white and yellow pilgrims all could get a feed
The stalls once under canvas became religious supermarts
With such a range o' godly goods, they had top twenty charts.
While the airport opposition was destroyed by James' trump card.
For centenary celebrations he got John Paul the twenty-third

From Fatima to Bethlehem, from Lourdes to Kiltimagh,
There's never been a miracle like the airport up in Knock

'We had the Blessed virgin here, ' Bold Jamesie did declare,
'And Pope John Paul the twenty-third appeared just over there.'
'Now do you mean to tell me', he said in total shock,
'That I am not entitled to an airport here in Knock.'
TD's were lobbied and harassed with talk of promised votes
And people who'd been loyal for years now spoke of changing coats.
Eternal damnation was threatened on the flock
Who said it was abortive building airports up in Knock
Now everyone is happy the miracle is complete.
Father Horan's got his runway, it's eighteen thousand feet
All sorts of planes could land there, of that there's little doubt,
Handy for the George Bush to keep knock Gadaffi out.

Did NATO donate, me boys, did NATO donate the dough?
Did NATO donate, me Girls, did NATO donate the dough?
Did NATO donate the dough, the dough, did NATO donate the dough?
Eighteen thousand feet of runway is an awful long way to go.

ATB, Ed

[Binners]

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

Was he from Manchester?

[Mach 1.5]

It appears he pops up on guntrader these days. Had a webley eclipse on there the other day from his collection. £425. Mach 1.5