In the 1920’s there was a more Genteel way of opening the rifle breech

[45flint]

Love the way these old 1920’s rifles open the breech. Reminds me of a old shotgun? Do you think these were work arounds to the 1905 Diana patent for the breech system we still use today?

https://youtu.be/GN9poSjTjfo

Special thanks to Geezer for the lesson in my religious heritage? Lol

[dvd]

Couldn't agree more with that and thanks for the video..
As effective as the wedge detent may be, slapping open a barrel is a bit crude in comparison when it can be done more elegantly yet still remain 100% effective by just pressing a small lever or button.
Small touches of sophistication like that float my boat all the time.
Walther with their mod 55LGV had a very effective system that locks the barrel securely and one uses just the thumb and index finger to release the barrel which drops down under its own weight.
Effective, but certainly not as elegantly designed and machined as those two in the video though.

[johnbaz]

Very nice Flint

I have a Haenel mod 1, I think later than you mod5, It has a similar barrel release but is a rounded thumbcatch so not really as elegant!



Sorry, It's hard to see with my rubbish pics!




John

[Swissairgun]

Pulling sharply down on the end of a barrel, is nicer than the whacking method, but cannot be compared to a real barrel release mechanism.

I open and close the barrel on my FLZ Original Mod. V just for the sheer pleasure that every aspect of it's mechanism brings...the simple design, its efficiency, the ease of operation, the sound as it closes up, it's so satisfying...and yes, it's a bit like flipping a shotgun closed.

Diana only made airguns, but FLZ at least had the experience from making firearms too, and probably that's where their different approach to the barrel release has its roots. Just my guess.

[45flint]

Pulling sharply down on the end of a barrel, is nicer than the whacking method, but cannot be compared to a real barrel release mechanism.

I open and close the barrel on my FLZ Original Mod. V just for the sheer pleasure that every aspect of it's mechanism brings...the simple design, its efficiency, the ease of operation, the sound as it closes up, it's so satisfying...and yes, it's a bit like flipping a shotgun closed.

Diana only made airguns, but FLZ at least had the experience from making firearms too, and probably that's where their different approach to the barrel release has its roots. Just my guess.

That funny have the same love of just opening and closing.

[TonyL]

Couldn't agree more with that and thanks for the video..
As effective as the wedge detent may be, slapping open a barrel is a bit crude in comparison when it can be done more elegantly yet still remain 100% effective by just pressing a small lever or button.
Small touches of sophistication like that float my boat all the time.
Walther with their mod 55LGV had a very effective system that locks the barrel securely and one uses just the thumb and index finger to release the barrel which drops down under its own weight.
Effective, but certainly not as elegantly designed and machined as those two in the video though.

Absolutely. And I have always considered rifles with the manual barrel latch offer a more refined and "gentlemanly" means of opening, closing and securing the barrel. In more modern times we also had the Weihrauch HW55, Anschutz 335, Webley Omega and the very recent Umarex / Walther LGV. My Slavia 634 also sports a manual latch. And that venerable, evergreen classic, the HW35, lives on. There will be further examples, for sure......

[bill57]

Baikal IJ-22 and IZH-38.