The Italian Connection

[ccdjg]

I was reorganising my pistol collection and was struck by how many Italian spring air pistols there have been, some of which are extremely well known (and despised by some shooters and repairers), and some very rare. You don't seem to read much about them as a group. I put this little lot together, and I was wondering how well the collectors on here could identify them?
(The nickel plated pistol No. 9 and the one above it are different versions of the same model.)

One thing that struck me was that there has never been an Italian pop-out pistol.




KEY

(1) Brema Model 5; (2) GunToys RO72 (.a.k.a Panther 2072, Bullseye RO72, Milbro G11 and many others); (3) BBM Bruni Steiner S; (4) BBM Bruni CF-92; (5) Gun Toys RO71 (a.k.a. Panther 2071, Bullseye RO71, Milbro G7/G8 and many others); (6) Mondial Oklahoma; (7) BBM Bruni Blitz; (8) FVM Condor; (9) Mondial Oklahoma (black and nickelled versions); (10) IGI Domino 209; (11) SGS Duo 300.

[Garvin]

I was reorganising my pistol collection and was struck by how many Italian spring air pistols there have been, some of which are extremely well known (and despised by some shooters and repairers), and some very rare. You don't seem to read much about them as a group. I put this little lot together, and I was wondering how well the collectors on here could identify them?
(The nickel plated pistol No. 9 and the one above it are different versions of the same model.)

One thing that struck me was that there has never been an Italian pop-out pistol.

My God! Apart from nos. 1 and 11, not much to make an Italian proud there.

[ccdjg]

My God! Apart from nos. 1 and 11, not much to make an Italian proud there.

... and No. 1 is a direct pinch from the Zenit !

[rapidresponse1]

some nice pistols

[coburn]

My God! Apart from nos. 1 and 11, not much to make an Italian proud there.

They certainly do much better looking cars, motorcycles and women!

[GRAZY]

Nice collection, it’s funny how many Italian air pistols there are. I was in Italy last year and seen a gun in a toy shop described as airsoft that was clearly a break barrel air pistol. It was called the super condor by villa sports toys and was actually really well made and strange to see it in a toy shop. I have number 11, the SGS Duo 300. Don’t see many around, it’s a nice gun.

[Josie & John]

I'm quite fond of the Panthers. I know they're not the best performers but they hold a lot of fond memories for me and who can resist a sexy name like Panther Artillery Carbine? The boxed example I have actually groups not far from the point of aim.

John

[stevegv8]

It would be nice if you'd put names against the numbers for those if us who don't recognise any of them, got my copy of The Encyclopedia of Spring Air Pistols to justify buying

[DrGunn]

I have an SGS Duo 300 (11) and whilst the fit and finish leave a little to be desired compared to other makes it feels quite solid and powerful and is pretty accurate. I had a Mondial Zip (6) but couldn’t hit anything with it and was worried it would disintegrate every time I pulled the trigger so got rid of it (I now wish I’d kept it anyway). I’ve been tempted by a Mondial Oklahoma (9) but decided against it as I suspected it would be very much like the Zip.

The Italians certainly seem to like alloy castings in their air pistols but whilst their spring air pistols appear to have been aimed at the bottom end of the market, they seem to take much greater pride in their pneumatic target pistols. My Pardini Fiocchi P10 is a few years older than the Duo 300 but is a much more refined gun.

[ccdjg]

It would be nice if you'd put names against the numbers for those if us who don't recognise any of them, got my copy of The Encyclopedia of Spring Air Pistols to justify buying

Hi Steve. I was going to put the names in, but thought I would wait a bit and see how many could be recognized. I have now edited the original post and put the names in.

I have number 11, the SGS Duo 300. Don’t see many around, it’s a nice gun.

The SGS Duo (Number 11)_ is a very interesting pistol for those collectors who like quirky. It is the only springer I know where the compression cylinder lifts during the cocking stroke, for all the world like a SSP. Unfortunately, as you say, not easy to find these days.

[Lawrie Amatruda]

I was reorganising my pistol collection and was struck by how many Italian spring air pistols there have been, some of which are extremely well known (and despised by some shooters and repairers), and some very rare. You don't seem to read much about them as a group. I put this little lot together, and I was wondering how well the collectors on here could identify them?
(The nickel plated pistol No. 9 and the one above it are different versions of the same model.)

One thing that struck me was that there has never been an Italian pop-out pistol.




KEY

(1) Brema Model 5; (2) GunToys RO72 (.a.k.a Panther 2072, Bullseye RO72, Milbro G11 and many others); (3) BBM Bruni Steiner S; (4) BBM Bruni CF-92; (5) Gun Toys RO71 (a.k.a. Panther 2071, Bullseye RO71, Milbro G7/G8 and many others); (6) Mondial Oklahoma; (7) BBM Bruni Blitz; (8) FVM Condor; (9) IGI Domino 209; (10) SGS Duo 300.

I have one of the Brema model 5, this one has no Brema markings, it has GM on the grip plates, I often thought that GM might be a form of EmGee in reverse, does anyone know?

Cheers, Lawrie.

[ccdjg]

I have one of the Brema model 5, this one has no Brema markings, it has GM on the grip plates, I often thought that GM might be a form of EmGee in reverse, does anyone know?

Cheers, Lawrie.

It is an interesting theory Lawrie and could well be right. I have not been able to find any commercial names connected with the Bruni company that would give rise to the initials GM. On the other hand it is known that Bruni started making air rifles and pistols which were deliberate copies of obsolete EM-GE airguns from 1981, so perhaps GM was a bit of an ironic nod in the direction of where the designs came from.
Cheers,
John

[stevegv8]

It is an interesting theory Lawrie and could well be right. I have not been able to find any commercial names connected with the Bruni company that would give rise to the initials GM. On the other hand it is known that Bruni started making air rifles and pistols which were deliberate copies of obsolete EM-GE airguns from 1981, so perhaps GM was a bit of an ironic nod in the direction of where the designs came from.
Cheers,
John

This post gave me a chance to turn to my newly acquired Encyclopedia of Spring Air Pistols and as said above it is a copy of the EM-GE Zenit.
It doesn't explain the GM but being on both grips is correct and although some are known without the Brema name on them it would normally be on the top of the chamber and Cal 4 1/2 (.177) Rigata should be on the top of the barrel. Rigata being Italian for rifled it says.
It should have a serial No. on the right side of the barrel.
Additionally some may have signs of original work on the barrel due to having a cut in it near the foresight when it was a deactivated after a life used for police officer training in Latvia and being acquired and repaired for resale by a Belgian arms dealer.
This may well be common collector knowledge already but I thought I'd add what I found in the book seeing as there's nothing in Hiller (2).

[ccdjg]

I just noticed that in my Key to the pistols in the original post, the numbering of the last two pistols was incorrect, as I had left out the Oklahoma pistols. I have now corrected this, so my apologies for any confusion.

For anyone interested in collecting obsolete Italian air pistols (yes, there will be a few of us! ), a boxed example of the rare IGI Domino 209 (number 10 in the picture) is currently available from JC Miltaria. Quite a bargain for £85.

[ggggr]

My God! Apart from nos. 1 and 11, not much to make an Italian proud there.

My internet has been down Danny. Its not nice to come back and see so much Monkey Metal
The only one Id be interested in looking at is No1 the Zenit copy.