Further to my last post, which discussed the difference between the various marks of the 335 and attracted considerable comment, I have today found time to test the 335 Mk 1 I recently bought.

First, what has already been said about the accuracy appears to be correct. At 10, 15 and 20yds outdoors, in a moderate wind, I obtained clover leaf groups with open sights using cushions as a rest. That stated, it took some time to get used to the sliding rear sight, which has its own peculiarities. I had to raise the rear blade, within the rear sight (the blade offers two options) to its maximum height, via two small adjusting screws. I then had to raise the rear sight to approx 50-60% of its elevation in order to get the pellet into the target centre.

Shooting, next, at small bulls at 25yds was too taxing on my eyes so, at this point, I placed a x4 Hawke scope onto the rifle. This made things much easier and, whilst my eyes were then flagging, I think it would be possible to obtain clover leaf groups at 25yds too, using cushions as a rest.

Accupells were hopeless with the 335 but, interestingly, are very good with my Original 45. I tried a very old tin of H&N Match pellets (wadcutters), which were excellent in the 335, and these were closely followed by JSBs, which were labelled as 4.51mm. I will obtain a tin of S.dome and see how they perform in due course.

I noticed that the rear securing screw, in front of the trigger, had worked its way loose. After tightening, it was then necessary to reduce the sights by 1.5 inches, approx. I will have to keep an eye on this but perhaps it was not securely tight to begin.

The trigger was not bad; not up to the modern standard but quite easy to master nonetheless and perfectly acceptable.

I am now wondering whether I might put an Anschutz peep sight into the rear of the rifle, in place of the scope.

For collectors, the 335 certainly has a place. It is a pleasing rifle and quite excellent given it is now probably some 40+ years old. Whilst it might not have been up to the power of some of its contemporaries, it makes up for this in accuracy and operation.

Rgds
A