Advice wanted on a Lanes Patent Ball Trigger Gem

[ccdjg]

I have just found this Lanes Gem at the back of a cupboard, and it is something I had completely forgotten about. As most of you know, I rarely buy rifles, but something about its potential and low price must have prompted me to buy it, as it is in a pretty poor state and needs a lot of work. It looks as though it was someone’s restoration project that was never completed.

I know that in general Gems are not worth very much, so with a view to moving it on, I would like to know if this particular item is worth spending a lot of time and effort on a full sympathetic restoration, or should I just get it into good working order and leave it at that?


Currently it is “in the white” but a bit rusty, and there is still shallow pitting in some areas. All the pins are missing, and the stock has been stripped back to bare wood. On the plus side, all other original parts are there, and the lettering and engine turning on the barrel and barrel catch are very clear.

The opinion of any of you knowledgeable air rifle collectors would be much appreciated.

[DCL_dave]

Hi John,

I think it is worth doing sympathetically but definitely keep costs to a minimum, for instance as you no doubt know it is not worth getting it professionally re blued but pins are easy enough to make and maybe a cold blue and lick of oil on the stock to smarten it up a bit?

I have never owned one of these ball trigger Gems but have been told that they are a pleasant enough shooter for a Gem pattern.

[Garvin]

I hate to suggest how people spend their precious time... but as Dave says, a basic smarten up would seem to be in order. But I don't think it's worth the full Griffiths treatment.

[BC312]

Please not cold blue but traditional rust blue, how such guns were originally finished.

[ptdunk]

I’d just remove the rust as best I could, replace the pins, and then the usual treatment re. spring & seals and get it shooting at its best. I wouldn’t reblue it but would leave it in the white….where its life thus far has left it.

No idea on value. Interesting guns, would like to see how they shoot.

Cheers,
Matt

[DCL_dave]

Actually, if you are thinking of moving it on then leave it as it is and let the new owner have the dilemma

I am wondering who made it for Lanes? Langenhan or Eisenwerke maybe?

have owned Gem patterns that although not marked as such did have the bracing across the cocking lever to stop the area around the trigger guard collapsing over time, I believe Lanes advertised this as a modification to strengthen some of the Gem patterns that they sold…the ball trigger Gem seems to be similar solution to this problem…

[ccdjg]

Thanks for all the suggestions, very useful.
Matt has carried out a bit of detective work and found that I bought this gun on the forum 14 years ago. I had completely forgotten. I must have had other more pressing projects on at the time and put this in a cupboard and forgot all about it. I am going to get it into a fully functioning condition and then decide what to do with it.

I also did a bit of research into its origins using John Atkins' articles in Airgunner as source, and John says that the ball trigger design (which uses a ball bearing as the sear) was patented by John Lane , Ernest Lane and Charles Lane in October 1895. The guns that Lanes produced incorporating this design were based on imported German and Belgian Gem-types.