Airsporter MK 1 (G prefix).Monkey business!

[edbear2]

I have just found the strangest thing...whilst pulling a MK 1 Airsporter apart to investigate low power, I noticed a faint ring at the muzzle end.....It looks for all the world like a piece has been added on.

Barrel length (taken from centre of loading port ) is 18 3/4", the same as a MK2 I have......but on careful examination of the bore, there is no evidence inside, and the rifling has been cut it appears, after the work was done

Has anybody got any ideas???????

P.S.......2 mins with a 1/4 socket and dremel makes a handy stock bolt tool for these.

other pics here

[dogsbody]

Hi Eddie,
In the Golden Century p.107 there is an illustration of the "First Pattern Front Sight", - just like yours with ring. According to the text a new method of fixing the front sight ramp was tried for a short period insread of brazing the ramp to the barrel. The ramp was cast with a ring and pressed over the muzzle end and retained by a cross pin this is when the transverse dovetail slot was changed to longitudinal. So presumably the first type were brazed. The text might make more sense to you than it does me. Time period for the First Pattern Front Sight would be before early 1950.
atb
dogsbody

[edbear2]

Hi Eddie,
In the Golden Century p.107 there is an illustration of the "First Pattern Front Sight", - just like yours with ring. According to the text a new method of fixing the front sight ramp was tried for a short period instead of brazing the ramp to the barrel. The ramp was cast with a ring and pressed over the muzzle end and retained by a cross pin this is when the transverse dovetail slot was changed to longitudinal. So presumably the first type were brazed. The text might make more sense to you than it does me. Time period for the First Pattern Front Sight would be before early 1950.
atb
dogsbody

Brilliant!......thanks mate, I was unaware of this....there are two marks which look like a transverse pin, so this would make sense...I have obviously not looked closely enough at an early one before !

[Garvin]

The Falke underlevers (which copied the Airsporter) had this feature too Eddie. It seems that the barrel was machined down to leave the last inch or so ready to receive a sleeve, to which the front sight was attached. I suppose it meant the front sight could be securely pinned without drilling into the barrel itself?

Edit: Oops, should have hit refresh, didn't see dogsbody's post...

[Prewar]

Eddie, it's original, have seen a few early ones like that