Daystate Sportsman Mk1 multipump pneumatic info

[jirushi]

Hi,
Does anyone one here have or know more about the ultra-rare Daystate Sportsman Mk1 multipump pneumatic?
Apparently only a few were ever made.
I only found one photo, on this forum.
My friend Steven has an action, but no stock, and I am trying to help him to find more info... and a stock (which will be very difficult).
I'm guessing it was made in the eighties, when multipumpers like the Innova were very popular. Perhaps this Daystate was too expensive? Not sure.
Probably at a certain price level, people would have preferred to buy a top class springer, or a pcp. But I am just speculating of course.
Many thanks, Louis

[rockdrill]

Isn't that a Sportsman Mk1?

AFAIK the Huntsman name has always referred to the pre-charged rifle. The pump ups were known as the Sportsman.

[Shed tuner]

Isn't that a Sportsman Mk1?

AFAIK the Huntsman name has always referred to the pre-charged rifle. The pump ups were known as the Sportsman.

the piccy looks like a forend pumper, so clearly not a sidelever mk2 sportsman... but I had a feeling the Mk1 was like this, as you say...

[jirushi]

Isn't that a Sportsman Mk1?

AFAIK the Huntsman name has always referred to the pre-charged rifle. The pump ups were known as the Sportsman.

Woops, rather silly mistake: Sportsman Mk1 yes.
I have tried to change the topic title, but that didn't work.

[ptdunk]

Tony Belas demo’s one on the ‘Hot Air’ youtube channel. he said there were 50 made:

@ 1:31
https://youtu.be/CNDNPUv09k0

Matt

[micky2]

l belive there was only 150 Mk1s and 200 Mk2s made. they were expensive at the time. l have a Mk2. great guns.

[Shed tuner]

l belive there was only 150 Mk1s and 200 Mk2s made. they were expensive at the time. l have a Mk2. great guns.

I've seen a few mk2s, but never a mk1, so gut feeling is mk1s should be rarer ?

[I. J.]

If you contact Tony Belas at Daystate Im sure he will give you the full history of the rifle, who made it and when. I thought I was anal retentive.

ATB
Ian

[greenwayjames]

There were exactly 100 sets of MK 1 parts made. Thought out by the late Mr Don Lowndes, founder of Daystate, it was a very beefed up sort of homage to a Sheridan Blue Streak. The main pump tube and body was 1/8" thick wall steel tube. The very last of the 100 sets of parts was bought by a writer for Airgun World who got Custom Stocks to make him a thumbhole stock. The owner then got Bowket to replace all the internals with his own, fit one of his barrels and his trigger assembly. More or less the only original Daystate bits were the pump tube and lever, breechblock and a few screws. Bowket did a similar job on another Mk1 but with the addition of a spoon handle bolt and handmade sporter style walnut stock. I think there are some photos of it on the Facebook fanpage and if I can find them will post here. Very sleek rifle

[Mr. Gen]

A couple of years ago in Kenya I saw one of these converted to fire tranquiliser darts, the barrel looked like it had come off a wombat AT gun, when I showed an interest the owner happily tossed it over to me, I assume it had any blow off valve sealed up as it had a lever extension fitted for greater leverage. It was 'well used' to say the least!

[T 20]

A couple of years ago in Kenya I saw one of these converted to fire tranquiliser darts, the barrel looked like it had come off a wombat AT gun, when I showed an interest the owner happily tossed it over to me, I assume it had any blow off valve sealed up as it had a lever extension fitted for greater leverage. It was 'well used' to say the least!

IIRC Daystate started off by making tranquilliser guns and then went into Airgun production, so the tranquilliser gun you saw could have been factory built ?



All the best Mick

[jirushi]

Thank you gents for the very interesting information.
Keep it coming
The Hot Air video about pumpers is nice, thanks for the tip.
I will try to contact Tony Belas.
@greenwayjames, cool to read that JB worked on this gun as well.
A beefed up homage to a Sheridan Blue Streak - sounds heavy.
I like my Blue Streak. Nice and light. Seals and the rest seems to last forever.
I hope to see a Huntsman Mk1 in the flesh one day though.
@ Mr. Gen and T20 - I never knew that Daystate had made tranquilliser guns or even started with doing that.
I had one such gun, a Cap Chur Model 50, which is a .50" tranquilliser gun based on the Crosman 160. It was good fun. BANG!
Even though I'm a vet, I never used it on elephants...

No Huntsman Mk1 owners on here?

[jirushi]

Here's a nice ad for the gun.



Does anybody know how I can contact Tony Belas? I couldn't find contact info, but it might be a case of ringing Daystate.

Cheers

[Unframed Dave]

My humble mk2 at the bash.

https://imgur.com/gallery/WPNzaEf

Dave

[jirushi]

My humble mk2 at the bash.

https://imgur.com/gallery/WPNzaEf

Dave

Very nice, thanks for sharing.
Cheers Louis