Improved model britannia

[Huttles94]

Hi all,

I dont really have much to do with air rifles these days and sold a lot of my small collection a couple of years ago, kept a few though (Like my grandfathers BSA CS model, Park RH93, Webley mark 3. Webley Premier and a Smith and wesson 79G) but there has always been one air rifle I have wanted ever since I saw one online back in 2017. And that is a improved model britannia. And I am glad to say that I have finnaly got one. And yes it was the one for sale in the Holts November auction last month.

There was actually another improved model britannia at auction a couple of weeks prior to the one at holts, same caliber but the finish on it was more well worn. I put a bid but lost out on it as it went for £500 (not a bad price mind you). Luckily I learnt from this and upped my bid for the one at the holts auction and I won it.. for £500 (Plus fees of course). So I am very happy.

Just arrived this morning and it is in lovely condition, not perfect but thats to be expected of a 113 year old! Fishing looks nice and there are a few spots where it has worn down but overall very nice condition. And of course the first thing I did with it was take it into the back garden and shoot it, I can see why it did not catch on since it is very cumberson to cock and load (I seem to recall they came with a pellet pusher when new? Ill have to make something myself to mimick this). But it shoots very well.

To me I think its a much better rifle than the Britannia (Controversal I know) even with its unorthodox cocking method. Not that the Britannia is a bad rilfe (the opposite actually) but I prefer the improved model to the gem style the original britannia is based off.
I did have a Britannia rifle a few years back but it was worn and missing its rear sight, thankfully this one is complete and all functioning very well.

Overall I am very happy with it and I think its a keeper!

Here are some photos I have taken, though the ones on Holts website are much better!

https://imgur.com/gallery/nrhtkuY

[ptdunk]

I would love to shoot one of these to compare to an original Britannia, how is it to shoot? Has it got a reasonable trigger how fiddly is it to get a pellet in without the pellet probe?
I did shoulder an improved model once and thought the sights weren’t in the optimum position for standing shots, but I understand they were best suited for prone shooting.

Sounds like you got a good price for one in nice original condition, congrats.

Cheers,
Matt

[Huttles94]

I would love to shoot one of these to compare to an original Britannia, how is it to shoot? Has it got a reasonable trigger how fiddly is it to get a pellet in without the pellet probe?
I did shoulder an improved model once and thought the sights weren’t in the optimum position for standing shots, but I understand they were best suited for prone shooting.

Sounds like you got a good price for one in nice original condition, congrats.

Cheers,
Matt

It is nice to shoot, trigger feels good and tight. Bit heavy maybe but I like it. I think the sights are good for me. It is very fiddly to get a pellet in without a probe or something to push the pellet down (I have to fiddle about and shake the gun to get the pellet in correctly, if you try to close the breech whilst the pellet is improperly sat, you damage the skirt of the pellet, so its a bit of a faff), this to me is the worst part of this great rifle such an odd design choice.

I can see why they were not commerically sucessful, well over engineered and complicated at the time when you had the Lincoln Jeffries/BSA models. But defiantly one that should be on every collecters bucket list!

[Garvin]

It is nice to shoot, trigger feels good and tight. Bit heavy maybe but I like it. I think the sights are good for me. It is very fiddly to get a pellet in without a probe or something to push the pellet down (I have to fiddle about and shake the gun to get the pellet in correctly, if you try to close the breech whilst the pellet is improperly sat, you damage the skirt of the pellet, so its a bit of a faff), this to me is the worst part of this great rifle such an odd design choice.

I can see why they were not commerically sucessful, well over engineered and complicated at the time when you had the Lincoln Jeffries/BSA models. But defiantly one that should be on every collecters bucket list!

Great score and must be satisfying to finally obtain a rifle you've long coveted. I put the Improved Britannia in the same desirable-for-collectors category as the Westley Richards pistol, an over-engineered design that with hindsight was always doomed to fail commercially once the sleeker, simpler models (the Webley pistols in the case of the WR HP) came along. Let's face it, this Britannia is no oil painting!

[Benelli B76]

I think using the description "Improved" was a brilliant marketing decision,

Baz

[IMG][/IMG]

[airRookie]

Hi all,

I dont really have much to do with air rifles these days and sold a lot of my small collection a couple of years ago, kept a few though (Like my grandfathers BSA CS model, Park RH93, Webley mark 3. Webley Premier and a Smith and wesson 79G) but there has always been one air rifle I have wanted ever since I saw one online back in 2017. And that is a improved model britannia. And I am glad to say that I have finnaly got one. And yes it was the one for sale in the Holts November auction last month.

There was actually another improved model britannia at auction a couple of weeks prior to the one at holts, same caliber but the finish on it was more well worn. I put a bid but lost out on it as it went for £500 (not a bad price mind you). Luckily I learnt from this and upped my bid for the one at the holts auction and I won it.. for £500 (Plus fees of course). So I am very happy.

Just arrived this morning and it is in lovely condition, not perfect but thats to be expected of a 113 year old! Fishing looks nice and there are a few spots where it has worn down but overall very nice condition. And of course the first thing I did with it was take it into the back garden and shoot it, I can see why it did not catch on since it is very cumberson to cock and load (I seem to recall they came with a pellet pusher when new? Ill have to make something myself to mimick this). But it shoots very well.

To me I think its a much better rifle than the Britannia (Controversal I know) even with its unorthodox cocking method. Not that the Britannia is a bad rilfe (the opposite actually) but I prefer the improved model to the gem style the original britannia is based off.
I did have a Britannia rifle a few years back but it was worn and missing its rear sight, thankfully this one is complete and all functioning very well.

Overall I am very happy with it and I think its a keeper!

Here are some photos I have taken, though the ones on Holts website are much better!

https://imgur.com/gallery/nrhtkuY

Have seen one recently compared to a BSA break barrel. I fell in love. I love unusual rifles, and some of the old rifles are definitely very unusual.

Maybe one day....

[rapidresponse1]

looks nice

[45flint]

Great score and must be satisfying to finally obtain a rifle you've long coveted. I put the Improved Britannia in the same desirable-for-collectors category as the Westley Richards pistol, an over-engineered design that with hindsight was always doomed to fail commercially once the sleeker, simpler models (the Webley pistols in the case of the WR HP) came along. Let's face it, this Britannia is no oil painting!

Agree the WR and the Improved Britannia would be a good pairing but I think the IB is a bit odder which makes it endearing. My chances for a IB are probably nil over here in the US.