Airgun Obsessions of The 70s

[Hsing-ee]

I’d add Marksman pellets to that list, certainly used all of the above in my .22 meteor, that gun shot more vermin than any other I’ve owned since, certainly kept my ferrets well fed back in the 70s, great times I miss them.
Regard Graham

'A well-fed ferret' is a concept completely unknown to today's generation. Maybe analogous to an iPhone with a full charge?

[MartynB]

'A well-fed ferret' is a concept completely unknown to today's generation. Maybe analogous to an iPhone with a full charge?

Like it

[Dornfelderliebe]

Being able to buy Marksmans from the local bike shop.

[TonyL]

Being able to buy Marksmans from the local bike shop.

Yep, even in our small town, at least two sports shops and, I think, tackle shops sold pellets. The sports shops sold Relum and Milbro Diana airguns. A sports shop in the next town, Worksop, had BSA and Weihrauch rifles, too.

[TonyL]

Family mail order catalogues selling airguns!

[laverdabru]

New air rifles, pistols - Webley or BSA usually - from the local ironmongers. Never bought a new one then, but can remember buying William Rogers bowie & other knives in my school uniform. Pellets from there, or the local fishing/cycle/model shop. Beatall(?) were a cheap option. Marksman if I was a bit more flush, Webleys were a birthday/xmas treat. Secondhand guns from any number of backstreet 'junkshops', who weren't to particular about age - was it 15 then?.

[TonyL]

New air rifles, pistols - Webley or BSA usually - from the local ironmongers. Never bought a new one then, but can remember buying William Rogers bowie & other knives in my school uniform. Pellets from there, or the local fishing/cycle/model shop. Beatall(?) were a cheap option. Marksman if I was a bit more flush, Webleys were a birthday/xmas treat. Secondhand guns from any number of backstreet 'junkshops', who weren't to particular about age - was it 15 then?.

I seem to remember the laws then saying you could own one at 14 but had to be 17 to buy one.

That ease of access back then, in my mind, says they really were the golden days. So many will have bitten the bug and hence why there will be so many old airguns tucked away that haven't seen the light of day for many years. Some do re-ignite the passion, though. With today's tighter rules and competition from Internet / social media / computer games etc., we're never going to see the influx we enjoyed back in those happier days.

It's so heartwarming to see any youngsters enjoying our sport. Like a first visit to a Boinger Bash. Or when I visited that bell target club a few months ago. And we need to put our arms around these young ones, welcome and encourage them in as they are the lifeblood for the future. It's great to see the smile on the faces of these youngsters when they connect with targets.

[Lumberjack]

Family mail order catalogues selling airguns!

That took me back. I can still picture one particular page in a catalogue - a Rangemaster and a Statical. Both in 0.22 of course.

The Rangemaster was the Chrissy present that year.

That started the whole downward spiral. Been hooked ever since.

As for the original post and the various comments about pellets. Hands up, yep I tried shooting many different "projectiles" out the barrel. Not all were made of lead and shaped like pellets. Sacrilege I know but I'm a reformed man now.

[TonyL]

Excellent!

Imagine how many lifetimes of shooting fun might have been instigated by those catalogues and wide availability of airgunnery toys.

[TonyL]

That took me back. I can still picture one particular page in a catalogue - a Rangemaster and a Statical. Both in 0.22 of course.

The Rangemaster was the Chrissy present that year.

That started the whole downward spiral. Been hooked ever since.

As for the original post and the various comments about pellets. Hands up, yep I tried shooting many different "projectiles" out the barrel. Not all were made of lead and shaped like pellets. Sacrilege I know but I'm a reformed man now.

Those catalogues had so many uses too......drool over the air rifles. And, er, some of the "other" pages. Hopefully pester your parents into submission. And then use said catalogue as a pellet trap / power testing device.

[Tea Kettle]

Being able to buy Marksmans from the local bike shop.

Or the paper shop at the bottom of the street. Bought by the thousands in .177 and .22 to shoot through my friends Webley Hawk Mk1.

All I wanted was a Webley Senior. Ended up with a GAT and a suspect Milbro/Diana. We stuffed everything down that barrel once it became clear we couldn't hit a backyard gate at ten yards.

Ferrets and my friends Lurcher.

[TonyL]

'A well-fed ferret' is a concept completely unknown to today's generation. Maybe analogous to an iPhone with a full charge?

Like it

I like that, too. Loved my ferrets. They netted us plenty of bunnies.

My catapults and, later, Meteor andMercury nailed hundreds of rats.

[Papa g]

'A well-fed ferret' is a concept completely unknown to today's generation. Maybe analogous to an iPhone with a full charge?

Brilliant!😂😂😂
Regards Graham