The following pistol was posted on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...29611460595276) , asking if anyone knew what it might be. It is an intriguing item and makes a good puzzle, so I would like to ask if anyone one here can identify it. Our Matt (ptdunk) is excluded from this, as he already knows!
Is it a mod 28 barrel/cylinder turned 90 degrees, breech shut and modified for a tap, the undercarriage channged and given a bit 'extra' at the fore. A Hornby O gauge 0-4-0 coupling-rod thrown in for good measure!...
Last edited by Epicyclic; 05-02-2024 at 08:30 PM.
It is in the Encyclopedia of Spring Air Pistols (both editions) but does take a bit of finding.
Always enjoy reading my Encylopedia of Spring Air Pistol book, especially looking for mystery guns. I am not as accomplished as a collector as you gentlemen but it is really my passion. These are post are great learning tools.
Randall
Canadian Hy-score Collector
Last edited by Re01312; 09-02-2024 at 09:55 PM. Reason: Aye a bit of -bad grammar
This is a very poor design IMHO. Having a 'reverse Hy-Score' piston arrangement without the compactness of a concentric barrel, the front heaviness of a fixed barrel without the cocking/loading advantages of a break barrel, the manufacturing cost of a loading tap, and the ugliness of the 'outside lock' piston link, mean it exhibits the worst of several worlds at once. A pistol that was doomed to fail, in my view.
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.
I first heard about this pistol about in about 2007, when collector Rob Morton told me that while on holiday he had seen it in a military museum in Barcelona, along with a corresponding air rifle. Luckily he took some pictures, as the museum was in Montjuic Castle and the museum was unfortunately closed down in 2009. So what happened to the guns in the display is anyone’s guess, but they are probably in crates in the cellars, never to see the light of day in our lifetimes.
(Images courtesy of Rob Morton)
As the labels say, the inventor was a L.J.Trinchet of Barcelona, and the pistol and rifle are dated 1952 and 1950 respectively. I have not yet been able to find a relevant patent. I originally thought that these were unique prototypes as they had never been reported before, or since. Until the pistol on Facebook turned up that is. So it seems that more than one of the pistols were made, but it probably never went into production.
The pistol is discussed in the first edition ESAP on page 249, and on page 333 in the second edition.
Very interesting John.
When you scale it up to a rifle the design becomes reminiscent of an Improved Britannia.
I never made the connection between the Improved Britannia cocking mechanism and the Haenel 28 and Hyscore but there it is. Makes much more sense on a pistol scale.
Cheers,
Matt
There is a slight difference with the 2 pistols, first is the rear sights are not the same, and the one in the museum looks like it has a thicker barrel, but that could be just the camera angle. plus where the cocking arm goes into the body, one is square, and the other is rounded, plus the grips which every one can see.
The mystery pistol Trinchet L.J. on page 333 of our favorite book for collectors of Spring Air pistols John's Encylopedia.
Hope, I didn t spoil the mystery by sharing the page number and name on the website.
Randall
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.