Where to start?

[oliver13]

Just a footnote, & to get back to the original question, 'Where do I start?'

Just before my Grandad lied about his age & joined the army in 1914 he'd bought a BSA Improved Model D. airgun. When he got back from the trenches some years later he'd lost interest in guns somewhat & it stayed in the cupboard until he had to keep his infant grandson amused, we spent many happy hours creeping about behind the rockery while he taught the rudiments of trench craft & sniping to a 3 year old me.

BSA Improved Model D, .22 of course - that's my answer.

[Phil Russell]

The pre-war BSA rifles are superb, particularly the pre 1917 or so ones and there are enough variants to keep most people amused. But do not overlook the, maybe, less appreciated models from the post WWI era: the BSA breakdown pattern and the early Diana 27 for instance. I particularly like the Diana 27 rifle and it's clones and they make superb shooters and are very easy to service. Then you have the Webleys ... the Service MKII and the MKIII. The former is really quite expensive these days, especially if you find a set with two or three barrels (.177, .22, .25) but you might be lucky in getting a single barrel rifle at a more reasonable price.
But it gets addictive and before long your house will ring with those immortal words .. 'Just one more ....'. And, of course, you will start spending more and more time scouring the auction catalogues.
But it's fun ...
Cheers, Phil

[battyone]

Plus one for pre war bsa.
Get yourself to the next Melbourne Marksmen fair and spend a pleasant day browsing the huge range of airguns available. Everyone there will be happy to enthuse about their particular favourites.
I initially decided to collect Birmingham products that were older than me, so pre-64. 1964 not 18!!! But soon broke that when offered a boxed spitfire. Now I've broken the brum bit too... and picked up a tidy paratrooper,just because I wanted one when I was a teenager.

There ain't no rules,just see what you like.

I'd also add another recommendation for Protek,had a couple of lovely rifles through them and their prices seem fairer than most.
Provided the shipping issue is sorted.

[I. J.]

The one thing I regret about my collecting, O.K. apart from those 'bargain of a lifetime' deals I let slip through my fingers, is not keeping a record of how much I paid for an item and where I got it from and any work I did on them. With my bad memory theres only a few deals I can remember.

HTH
Ian

[DT Fletcher]

how about some old air guns from the USA?

Was thinking the exact same thing, Trev... ;-)

[Garvin]

how about some old air guns from the USA?

Hey, who are you calling 'Euros', Trev?! We're Brits (well, most of us anyway) - hence the -centric advice. We don't have too many American guns over here, at least not collectable ones.

[trevor1]

To me Beezaphiles and Weblyists are English! (The Milbroists live north of Hadrians Wall). Here,at the bottom of the world,we owed allegiance to anything jobbers cared to import! All gone now though,young collectors are Turkeyists I suppose......The field of multi-stroke pneumatics is a vast and interesting one. They are of course,"real" air guns-no detonation of lubricants in the old pumpers.You get out of them what you put in. Variety is the spice of life(it is said),I think the USA-made air guns offer variety. Enough philosophy,they (air guns) are ALL collectable,eh?Trev

[DT Fletcher]

The problem I see in collecting BSA/Webley in the land of BSA/Webley is that this is only following the herd. There is more to airguns than the local brands and going in a different direction is more likely to provide something interesting and new. Certainly, going off brand will be more difficult but that is what true collecting is all about.

You might consider obtaining a copy of the Blue Book of Airguns, just to get a complete picture of what is out there available to collect.

[Red Devil]

Thank you for the great advise folks