Old faiground airgun shootinggalleries

[guitardan]

I remember using probably bsa cadets back in the 60s whenever the funfair came to town. (which ive put up a want for a cheapy, doesnt matter if it looks a bit rough so long as it can be made to shoot with a bit of tlc) I dont think the range would have been very long, maybe 8 or 9 feet? As well as the rifles, some of them had pistols, but I cant for the life of me remember what they would have been, maybe I should aquire a couple as I'm thinking project wise to make my own lil range similar to the funfairs...knock down targets, tins, coconut on a string etc, ah well, nostagia does strange things.
ATB
Dan

[jjjjjj]

Yes remember the air rifle range they use to have bottles of pomane hanging on strings shoot the string to win, we won a few bottles and go told to clear off what we did was load the pellet in the wrong way round that way it had more chance of cutting the string, they also had .22 live pump action rifles i used to like them so i got my self one a browning .22 trombone, the good old days.

They had BSA cadets, BSA Cadet Majors, ASI Paratroopers ASI Snipers and a commando, gat pistols and gat rifles, and Barnett crossbows.

[Abasmajor]

I remember using probably bsa cadets back in the 60s whenever the funfair came to town. (which ive put up a want for a cheapy, doesnt matter if it looks a bit rough so long as it can be made to shoot with a bit of tlc) I dont think the range would have been very long, maybe 8 or 9 feet? As well as the rifles, some of them had pistols, but I cant for the life of me remember what they would have been, maybe I should aquire a couple as I'm thinking project wise to make my own lil range similar to the funfairs...knock down targets, tins, coconut on a string etc, ah well, nostagia does strange things.
ATB
Dan

A reproduction fairground range would be a great idea, especially if you were to use a period rifle such as a BSA Cadet or Cadet Major. I too remember heading straight for the airgun stalls in the early sixties despite knowing that the sights were not exactly regulated. I was always prepared to waste a couple of shots to determine the required offset necessary to have a hope of hitting anything.
It was nice to see this travelling stall which was part of a Christmas Fair that visited locally a couple of years ago despite it probably not being exactly politically correct these days.



Brian

[Mr. Gen]

Yes remember the air rifle range they use to have bottles of pomane hanging on strings shoot the string to win, we won a few bottles and go told to clear off what we did was load the pellet in the wrong way round that way it had more chance of cutting the string, they also had .22 live pump action rifles i used to like them so i got my self one a browning .22 trombone, the good old days.

They had BSA cadets, BSA Cadet Majors, ASI Paratroopers ASI Snipers and a commando, gat pistols and gat rifles, and Barnett crossbows.

Back to front and serrate the skirt with your thumbnail, or shoot the centre peg first to calculate the required offset.

[Unframed Dave]

Pish to political correctness, this is no. 1 son and myself at a street fair in Paris a while back. Pump action shotguns, no less.

Dave

DSC_1249.jpg

DSC_1245.jpg

[edbear2]

At our local steam fair pre covid;


https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...57624282308409

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...57621703942883

1903 Howcroft gallery;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...57621828567056

ATB, Ed

[Dutch]

Ha nice! in Ed's first pics: The Anschutz 275 fairground workhorse, lovely & sturdy made repeater rifle. Comparable in quality to the Haenel 49a.

[Josie & John]

A reproduction fairground range would be a great idea, especially if you were to use a period rifle such as a BSA Cadet or Cadet Major. I too remember heading straight for the airgun stalls in the early sixties despite knowing that the sights were not exactly regulated. I was always prepared to waste a couple of shots to determine the required offset necessary to have a hope of hitting anything.
It was nice to see this travelling stall which was part of a Christmas Fair that visited locally a couple of years ago despite it probably not being exactly politically correct these days.



Brian

A Bisley stalwart (that will remain nameless) went all the way up to Nottingham some years ago to buy up a fairground range but it has sat in storage ever since. I would love to see it in action and keep dropping hints!

Cadets were still in use on a fairground range at the Dorset Steam Fair a few years ago when I last visited. They were very tired but great to see and use them.

Kind regards,

John

[jack russel]

i bought five gamo rifles with ring on end of barrels for chain to go through told they were used on fair??

[guitardan]

A Bisley stalwart (that will remain nameless) went all the way up to Nottingham some years ago to buy up a fairground range but it has sat in storage ever since. I would love to see it in action and keep dropping hints!

Cadets were still in use on a fairground range at the Dorset Steam Fair a few years ago when I last visited. They were very tired but great to see and use them.

Kind regards,

John

If he needs free storage there's loads of room in my garden.....
Dan

[Geezer]

Most shooting galleries I’ve seen at fairs in the last twenty years used 4.4mm Haenel ball-firers (Holland -won a big cuddly toy), Gat “rifles” with corks, Gamo Meteor Mk7s, Chinese B2s (the last two with deliberately mis-set sights and/or deliberately damaged rifling/crown). And those Tommy gun things that can never quite shoot out the paper star target.

[Josie & John]

Many fairground ranges use corks not just because they're reusable and inaccurate but a stallholder at Hampstead Heath once told me the insurance is a lot cheaper than if pellets were used.

John

[Drew451]

There is a fair that operates all summer long fairly local to me that has a shooting gallery with Anschutz 275's. You have to shoot the centre of three heart shaped targets. The 3rd heart is all outline with hardly any centre.

With some practice and familiarisation with a particular 275 I soon got the hang of it. And some teddies.

[edbear2]

Most shooting galleries I’ve seen at fairs in the last twenty years used 4.4mm Haenel ball-firers (Holland -won a big cuddly toy), Gat “rifles” with corks, Gamo Meteor Mk7s, Chinese B2s (the last two with deliberately mis-set sights and/or deliberately damaged rifling/crown). And those Tommy gun things that can never quite shoot out the paper star target.

Have done the star 3 times now .....trick is to draw a circle around it

Look on the blokes faces was priceless......if he could have found an electron beam microscope he could not have tried harder to find a bit of red ink!

ATB, ED

[Mark D]

Pish to political correctness, this is no. 1 son and myself at a street fair in Paris a while back. Pump action shotguns, no less.

Dave

DSC_1249.jpg

DSC_1245.jpg

LOVE IT

What were the prizes and how did you win ?