Daft things you've done when starting out as a collector

[Garvin]

I've just read Mick's account of selling his concentric Westley Richards as a newbie collector and I remember Lakey's sad story of accidentally ruining the etching on a BSA air rifle when he was a young squaddie in barracks...

I have a few regrets too, mainly from the mid-1980s when I sold off most of my 'first collection' to raise badly-needed cash and have regretted it ever since. Among them was the absolutely mint Mk1 Airsporter, the fine condition Hubertus pistol, the Westley Richards Highest Possible, the mint 'patents pending' Webley Mk1 pistol, the Haenel 33 (Schmeisser's patent)...

[colin g]

I also made a cock up around 1995 Garvin when i sold my Venom Sharp Ace that Ivan Hancock had spent many hours making for me in 1987. I Worked at Target Sports of Bolton at the time and had a lot of dealings with Venom but was given an offer i could not refuse by a customer, I should have refused because i regretted it as soon as the shop door had shut and have done so ever since as Ivan had put a lot of time and effort into it.
Low and behold i found it on your Vintage Airgun Gallery ( i recognized the stock immediately although the colour had faded) but had no way of finding the owner.
The miracle happened when it turned up on my doorstep early this year in a very sorry state for a service and i asked the owner if he would sell it back to me,, No was his answer as he had always wanted a Sharp Ace. I managed to swap him for a very nice .177 Sharp ace that had been fettled to a very good standard that is also on the Vintage Airgun Gallery and he was over the moon.
Its now almost back to fine fettle again once Craig P has done his stock magic on it. It is still missing the engraved Venom brass pistol grip cap but its a low price to pay now as i have it back.
I dont think i will ever find the brass cap but i still have the front and rear open brass sights that it originally sported. Pics will be forwarded to you for your archives once its back to its original condition..
If anyone has or knows the whereabouts of a brass pistol grip cap that is the same as the standard HW77 pistol grip cap as that was what it was originally made from then it would be very much appreciated if you sold it to me.. Col


Update,,,, A member still has the brass cap but unfortunately not for sale at the moment... Col.

[45flint]

I’m sure most of my regrets would be losing a bid by $50 because I was too cheap. But I quickly conditioned myself to forget those things quickly, there is always something cool right around the corner. So often I shelve one treasure for the next one. Good to go back and appreciate what you have acquired.

[Powderfinger]

BSA had a factory in Marshall Lake Road in Shirley. In the late eighties it was demolished to make way for a retail park. I used to pass it regularly whilst in my car or on the bus and I watched it become a pile of rubble.
Decades later I was visiting a relative in a care home in Olton. I chatted to an old chap who had worked at BSA Shirley. He said there were tunnels and ranges underneath. Looking back I should have scaled the fence and explored the derelict buildings. There might have been artefacts to be found: signs, tools, discarded literature and I should have made a photo project of the building.

[lightning22]

I also made a cock up around 1995 Garvin when i sold my Venom Sharp Ace that Ivan Hancock had spent many hours making for me in 1987. I Worked at Target Sports of Bolton at the time and had a lot of dealings with Venom but was given an offer i could not refuse by a customer, I should have refused because i regretted it as soon as the shop door had shut and have done so ever since as Ivan had put a lot of time and effort into it.
Low and behold i found it on your Vintage Airgun Gallery ( i recognized the stock immediately although the colour had faded) but had no way of finding the owner.
The miracle happened when it turned up on my doorstep early this year in a very sorry state for a service and i asked the owner if he would sell it back to me,, No was his answer as he had always wanted a Sharp Ace. I managed to swap him for a very nice .177 Sharp ace that had been fettled to a very good standard that is also on the Vintage Airgun Gallery and he was over the moon.
Its now almost back to fine fettle again once Craig P has redone the checkering. It is still missing the engraved Venom brass pistol grip cap but its a low price to pay now as i have it back.
I dont think i will ever find the brass cap but i still have the front and rear open brass sights that it originally sported. Pics will be forwarded to you for your archives once its back to its original condition..
If anyone has or knows the whereabouts of a brass pistol grip cap that is the same as the standard HW77 pistol grip cap as that was what it was originally made from then it would be very much appreciated if you sold it to me.. Col

I don't suppose you have a pic of the grip cap?

[colin g]

I do have a pic of the original Venom one and the one i have on it now which is a standard Weihrauch one.
If you care to pm me your e-mail i will send them over to you, Col.

[Molenaar]

I saw a mint Sheridan F in mint silver on an auction site and missed it by offering 10 euro's short if it's selling price of 310 euro's...thinking my 300 offer was generous...

[Abasmajor]

I rekindled my interest in air guns after the 1997 UK Breech loading pistol ban effectively precluded the continued use of my much loved firearms.
Although I still shoot reproduction muzzle loading pistols and revolvers, air guns are now my main interest for both collecting and shooting. I was fortunate enough to have a fellow club member who was also a Militaria Valuer for a major Auction House and led me down the Vintage route together with the much missed Keith Bayliss who provided me with much advice and some rare air guns meaning I avoided many of the pitfalls during the early days. I guess these things balance themselves out over the years with some early disappointments being counterbalanced with the occasional later lucky find,
.
Brian

[Josie & John]

I once tried to 'rifle' a smoothbore Webley Junior pistol's barrel using my father's tap & dies on the basis that both had spirals.

My practical DIY ability has not really improved much since then

John

[Garvin]

As the years roll by, there are more 'ones that got away'. I was offered a refinished Certus that I probably should have pursued, although I let my distaste for refinished guns put me off. I also wish I had bought more guns when I had the chance in the sale of the David Swan collection a few years ago, even though I had little spare cash at the time. Fortune favours the brave!

[Garvin]

Stupid things I have done in my yoof:

- Aged 13 shot my best mate in the leg accidentally with a Harrington gat. Fortunately it bounced off his jeans, but did raise a welt.

- At 14 I sawed off my Crosman 766 barrel after watching Sweeney 2. Had to stuff something between the barrel and shroud to stop it flopping about.

- Lost the steel pin at the bottom of Webley Tempest grips that holds them in place.

- Lost the grub screw holding the Webley Hawk barrel in place and used a small self-tapper instead.

- tried hammering the rivets to tighten a loose stock on a Diana model 20 and made it far worse.

- Fired a blank cartridge in my Saxby Palmer revolver behind a cut-down air cart and wedged it so firmly in the chamber I never got it out.

Doh.


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[isobar]

I once tried to 'rifle' a smoothbore Webley Junior pistol's barrel using my father's tap & dies on the basis that both had spirals.

My practical DIY ability has not really improved much since then

John

blimey,that would have got the pellet spinning

[isobar]

hit a blank cartridge with a hammer followed by a visit to the doctors,reckon i was about 14,twas a near miss

[hookerball]

To start in the first place

[micky2]

As the years roll by, there are more 'ones that got away'. I was offered a refinished Certus that I probably should have pursued, although I let my distaste for refinished guns put me off. I also wish I had bought more guns when I had the chance in the sale of the David Swan collection a few years ago, even though I had little spare cash at the time. Fortune favours the brave!

Hi Danny, yes l should have bought more from David Swans auction as there was quite a few bargains, but like your self l was a bit short of cash at the time, but l was happy with what l did buy.