FWIW, like Andrew I have grave doubts this venture will succeed while original Mk2 Services in good nick can be bought for £500 or so. Anyone wanting a more powerful, near-legal limit, air rifle will probably go for a more modern one, while the market for a high-priced, non-original classic reproduction without the bells and whistles of the original is surely tiny?
But I applaud the innovation behind the idea.
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.
Well, after reading all these highly constructive comments, I hope someone will forward them to Sterling. As with launching any product, the views and observations of the potential users are essential. I really hope Sterling is successful with this launch, as and when it occurs, and also hope that it will, in time, give rise to a new family of air rifles from this well-known British manufacturer. There cannot be much more to invent in the field of air-gunning, so all the knowledge must be out there. That being the case, there is no reason why we cannot compete with the Germans on the technical ability - even although it would be pleasing were some new technology to emerge. This being the case, the essence is to capture the market and to do that, only the very best will succeed. An imitation of a design over 80 years old will not necessarily stimulate demand, especially at the price indicated.
Hi Andrew,
The Sterling stand at the show also had a full stocked PCP on display, where the walnut stock ended in a Schnabel tip and had s Stutzen look about it. With its Mannlicher profiled spoon shaped bolt, I felt this was one of the first PCPs that actually looked stylish. I should have photographed it but was concentrating on the Service. Nigel Allen filmed it whilst I was handling it for his You Tube Airgun TV channel if anyone is interested in this classically shaped PCP.
John
City Air weapons, Solihull advertising them for sale pre order £975 on G..star.
Always looking for any cheap, interesting, knackered "project" guns. Thanks, JB.
Two options ref removable barrel power issue...
- make the larger cal barrels shorter to reduce ME.. can be counterbored if needed to preserve aeshetics
- make the barels removable but not swappable - so you buy a gun with a .177 keyway barrel carrier, the keyway of the .177 only fits the .177 carrier. So long as the .22 key is larger in size, so it can't be fitted to the .177 carrier, you are fine. Least you preserve the takedown function
Always looking for any cheap, interesting, knackered "project" guns. Thanks, JB.
Hi John!
If you could advise a contact email address for Sterling (I could not find one via the internet), I will forward to them the link here, so they can read the comments from various collectors and enthusiasts (I wonder if there is a discussion in place on the General Airgun forum, here, too). Were I the manufacturer, I would be keen to read the constructive comments. Alternatively, perhaps you could let them have the link, yourself, if you have not already done so.
Best
A
They weren't really a copy as such, but were loosely based on a 1960 design patented by Kurt Giss :-
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