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Yep, loved my Arnie 335 .177 loads. Another un sung hero is the Original MOD 45 in .20 cal.
Following on from the best...i think the most underrated would be...Anschutz 335...what do other folks think. Mach 1.5
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Yep, loved my Arnie 335 .177 loads. Another un sung hero is the Original MOD 45 in .20 cal.
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Done my bit for the BBS: http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....-being-a-mod-… now I’m a game-keeper turned poacher.
Slavia 600 series, Anschutz 335 as mentioned, Original Diana 27, modern HW35, BSA SuperStar.
Diana 31 / 34
BSA Ultra by many too -
Looking for TO-6 Trigger unit unmessed with or T0-6 kit for 34
my Relum Tornado without any doubt.
Anschutz 335 is nice, but they do break the stock mountings (mine has). And the handling and trigger are inferior to e.g. the FWB Sport, which cost the same and was both more accurate and potentially more powerful.
Diana 45 is big, long, and at the time (early 80s) was very highly rated, especially in .20". So I'd say it is more forgotten than underrated.
The Diana 27 is, with the HW30, the best mid-power springer ever. The 30 gets all the love these days. So a worthy contender.
Superstar: see separate thread.
HW35: agree, though I think the older ones are the sleepers. Great quality, excellent performance, but to most just an old break-barrel. Rather than (pre mid-70s) arguably the best springer sporter then available.
I would plump for the Birmingham Xocet/Stingray family. Yes, the heritage is Vulcan, but they have a better trigger and a much better Venom-influenced stock. Very nice rifles, and cheap even now for what they are.
Second reserve: Birmingham Supersport. I bought one on a whim in .22". I think someone very good had had a go at the insides previously (nice shot cycle, decent trigger, excellent accuracy). Not emotionally a favourite, but, objectively, it is in the same field as a lightly tuned HW95, and not far off a good FWB127.
Also-ran (which won't surprise you, coming from me): Diana 34, especially in the fancier 36/38 versions. Never the springer bride, but a very good bridesmaid. As good or better than any non-HW factory springer.
Honourable mention: BSF 55 (and 60/70). Properly solid manufacture. Handles like a Meteor. Hits like something a lot bigger. Odd trigger, very hold sensitive, but cool. I can't say if they are underrated these days (they aren't by collectors) or just forgotten.
On the PCP side, I suspect the earlyish Daystates, AA S300s, and pre-Falcon Titans are, if not underrated, then still very good value for what they represent historically and how they perform. If you like that kind of thing.
Last edited by Geezer; 28-12-2017 at 08:27 PM. Reason: Spelling
Sfs chieftan
I agree that the small Diana break-barrels, especially 27 and under but also the 35 and later 34 series to some extent are under rated. The 45 is forgotten by some and underappreciated by most.
There are many other guns that are more forgotten than underrated these days. I would but the Haenels under both catagories, though.
The Anschutz is under rated but it should have had its faults ironed out before release. You would expect that from a maker like Anschutz.
If you don't over power the 335 then the stock mounts aren't a problem? Remember theoben did a custom job on them, anyone got one? The Original 45 is another rifle which is very accurate and on par with anything today. Was the golden age of our sport the 80's ? Great rifles, great tuning companies, better steel and a company would bring out an new product once a year to keep ahead of other brands. Mach 1.5
Westlake B2, got more people into the sport than any other gun....
All agreed, but they are 11ish+ ft-lbs rifles, unlike the Meteor. And properly traditionally made. I seem to have acquired two, diminishing the remaining supply (and both in .177").
As I'm sure you of all people know, the mid 70s power/performance race was between the HW35, FWB Sport, BSF 55/60/70, and Diana 35. The BSF met or beat the HW and Diana while being much lighter. Only when the Diana 45 (1978) and HW80 (duh, 1980) turned up did the BSF become obsolescent. Though the 6.5-7 lbs 41" (from memory) BSF 55 still compared well to the 8-9 lbs 44-45" 45 and 80 if you wanted something handier.
On a different note, my view on the Annie 335 is that it was always slightly overrated because it was an Anschutz.
Webley Eclipse. Always seems to get upstaged by the Omega and is discussed very little. Every bit as good as the Superstar in my opinion and massively underrated in general.
Oh and I'll throw another vote in for the B2. Gets a lot a flack when people compare it to their HW but it costs £30. Must be the best value rifle ever and all people do is criticise it!
Cheers
Greg
Far too many rifles to list now, all mainly British but the odd pesky foreigner has snuck in