Milbro G7 and G8

[ggggr]

On the "other forum" someone has put up some adverts from 1977 AW.
One of the adverts mentions Milbro pistols with the Numbers G7 and G8 Wooden gripped and not a G2 . What were they?

[ccdjg]

They are those favourite pistols of yours, Guy. G7 = Panther RO72 in .177, and G8 = same in .22. Don't recall ever seeing them with wood grips though, only simulated wood.

Cheers,
John

[DrGunn]

Protek have an RO72 listed at the moment and have a brutally honest description of it, certainly a novel approach to attracting a sale:

“This in our opinion is one of the worst pistols ever made. It uses cheap plastic where better quality plastic should be used, plastic where castings should be used, uses castings where steel should be used and pins where bolts should be used. Overall not a high quality pistol in any way shape or form. It looks the part and sold in mass in the 1970s. This example has obviously had very little use because it is still complete and functioning. We fired it a couple of times but do not want to push it! Seriously, it has a plastic detent latch which is gonna wear quicker that anything else. The trigger barely returns it is only the recoil and closing the barrel that makes it return for the next shot and the grip just feels like it is gonna break. We do not know if shoddy is an Italian word but if it ended in I we would be certain. Anyway this example is boxed in near new condition, nothing much more to say about it. A collector’s item.”

[ggggr]

They are those favourite pistols of yours, Guy. G7 = Panther RO72 in .177, and G8 = same in .22. Don't recall ever seeing them with wood grips though, only simulated wood.

Cheers,
John

Check on the other side John but Im sure there was about £4 difference in the price so maybe the 71 and 72? Im sure it said wood grips. JUST CHECKED G7 £7.95 and G8 £11.95 (wooden stock on both)

I still wonder why, if they were going to "badge" something they didnt use the Slavia ZVP or the Tex 86?

[ccdjg]

Yes, it does seem quite a price difference for just changing the calibre. I assume the "special" in front of the names must mean that they have used real wood. As you say, why would Milbro do that on such a lousy model? Perhaps the retailer did it ?

[ggggr]

Yes, it does seem quite a price difference for just changing the calibre. I assume the "special" in front of the names must mean that they have used real wood. As you say, why would Milbro do that on such a lousy model? Perhaps the retailer did it ?

Has anyone got one of these wooden gripped wonders? Didnt the Artillery one come with a wooden stock?

[Josie & John]

Has anyone got one of these wooden gripped wonders? Didnt the Artillery one come with a wooden stock?

Hi Guy,

There was a wooden stocked variant of the Artillery Carbine back in the day, which I don't recall ever seeing in the flesh. I suspect the Milbro imported RO72s had brown plastic wood effect grips rather than genuine wood on the basis I have never seen genuine wood grips but I'd be happy to be proven wrong!

I recently obtained spare foresight block and cut off the top 1/3 portion. Panthers tend to shoot high as we know, so by doing this, I found it easier to aim off. The example I tested grouped reasonably consistently when it was possible to see the aiming mark (I aimed 2 inches to the right and 3 inches low).

John

[ggggr]

Hi Guy,

There was a wooden stocked variant of the Artillery Carbine back in the day, which I don't recall ever seeing in the flesh. I suspect the Milbro imported RO72s had brown plastic wood effect grips rather than genuine wood on the basis I have never seen genuine wood grips but I'd be happy to be proven wrong!

I recently obtained spare foresight block and cut off the top 1/3 portion. Panthers tend to shoot high as we know, so by doing this, I found it easier to aim off. The example I tested grouped reasonably consistently when it was possible to see the aiming mark (I aimed 2 inches to the right and 3 inches low).

John

Thanks John------I would have thought that if they/ Milbro ever had a wood gripped version it would be really rare.
I cannot remember if the Panther shot high or not. I am in the lucky position or not owning one now, managing to pass any that have landed here to other people . One poor chap on here years ago got a package containing an Ro72 that had been painted in pound shop fluorescent pinky purple
The feeling of getting rid of an Ro72 is almost as good as getting rid of a B2