My speculations about the Linden & Funke and Falke air rifles

[Garvin]

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com/linden-funke-iserlohn/linden-funke-model-52-connection-with-falke-underlevers/#post-9292

[Chippendale]

Unfortunately I am unable to access this, disappointed to say the least, I usually enjoy Garvins posts immensely.

Melv

Chippendale (with clothes on)

[Mark D]

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....ohn-air-rifle/

[Chippendale]

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....ohn-air-rifle/

Thank you Mark.

Cheers

Melv

Chippendale (with clothes on)

[Garvin]

Sorry Melv. Now sorted.

[Garvin]

I have upgraded my post with a pic that shows the similarities between the two rifles and they're even more alike than I'd thought, making me even more convinced there's a connection!

Of course I would welcome the thoughts of the learned members of collectables, if you have anything to add.

[ccdjg]

I am no rifle expert Danny, but I did see that a similar topic was raised on the German forum CO2air back in 2006. One of the members put up the following post asking several questions: (This is the translated version).

Hello fellow collectors,
Here's a tough nut to crack for advanced collectors.
Does anyone have information about the Ludwig and Finke ( he later admits he has the name wrong and that it should be Linden and Funke) company from Iserlohn?
They are the manufacturers of the “LuFi Model 52” underlever rifle. The rifle is very similar to the Falke 80/90, but is technically much better made.
How many were made?
When?
Are there other models from this manufacturer?
Does anyone else have weapons from this company?

My searches on Google have so far been unsuccessful. I only have one report from an English airgun magazine which mentions one of these but gives no additional information.


Unfortunately the poster received no replies, so his questions went unanswered. However, he does seem to suggest that the two guns were different only from a manufacturing quality viewpoint.

[Chippendale]

Sorry Melv. Now sorted.

Thans Gavin.

Melv

Chippendale (with clothes on)

[Garvin]

I am no rifle expert Danny, but I did see that a similar topic was raised on the German forum CO2air back in 2006. One of the members put up the following post asking several questions: (This is the translated version).

Hello fellow collectors,
Here's a tough nut to crack for advanced collectors.
Does anyone have information about the Ludwig and Finke ( he later admits he has the name wrong and that it should be Linden and Funke) company from Iserlohn?
They are the manufacturers of the “LuFi Model 52” underlever rifle. The rifle is very similar to the Falke 80/90, but is technically much better made.
How many were made?
When?
Are there other models from this manufacturer?
Does anyone else have weapons from this company?

My searches on Google have so far been unsuccessful. I only have one report from an English airgun magazine which mentions one of these but gives no additional information.


Unfortunately the poster received no replies, so his questions went unanswered. However, he does seem to suggest that the two guns were different only from a manufacturing quality viewpoint.

Thanks John. I don't know what he meant about quality, they look very similar in terms of quality to me.

I've added an interesting contribution from our friend Eberhard. It includes a pic of a rifle I've never seen, a modified BSA Airsporter with a tube magazine (for ball ammo presumably?) under the barrel and a tap that both opens and closes automatically:

[MDriskill]

That's fascinating!

Beautiful air rifles - and a tap-loader with no lever hanging off the side really makes one do a double-take.

[Shed tuner]

i'm tempted by the "they all copied the airsporter" theory...

Explains both the similarities, and the divergence in construction / tooling.


Hard to see that if they started with the same ideas/employees, they have consciously gone into direct competition with virtually the same design.. why not just make them together in the same factory, and rebrand them / change sights/stock options (like the old lathe makers did).

[greenwayjames]

John Bowkett said that he had an interesting transitional prototype Airsporter pass through his hands when he used to buy and sell in the 1980's. It surfaced local to him probably via one of the factory clearouts. From the loading tap back it resembled a normal Airsporter but it had an underlever in the same position as the pe-war ones. The difference was that the underlever was in box section pressed steel. He did a deal with John Galloway and swapped it for a car boot load of vintage air rifles. Mr Galloway said he was keen to own it and keep it in his own collection. Which I doubt.
JB also remembers servicing an oversize "Merlin" with tubular magazine on top of the air cylinder. The owner, a local keen fisherman, bought it in a BSA clearout sale of the Shirley plant to shoot rats while out pursuing his main hobby. Despite many offers he wouldnt part with it at the time, 1980's, as he was over the moon with the way it performed.

[micky2]

Strange that they look so alike, but that Airsporter is something different, l would like to know it works, with the tube being under the barrel.

[Garvin]

Strange that they look so alike, but that Airsporter is something different, l would like to know it works, with the tube being under the barrel.

Mick I'm guessing the loading must be automatic, perhaps with starting to close the cocking lever pushing a ball into the loading tap (a bit like the Haenel 28R repeater loads balls), then the tap rotates 45 degrees as the lever clicks shut, or something like it?

[micky2]

Hi Danny, thank you for your theory, yes l would go along with that. it does make into a repeater without it having a small magazine where the breach is. which sometimes looks like a sore thumb on some rifles.