Challenge: Can anyone identify this air rifle?

[Geezer]

John will doubtless know better than me, but I believe both the rifle and the Wesley Senioresque pistol are from the 1950s.

The rifle is the Model 1951. Occam’s Razor might suggest that it was introduced in 1951?

[ccdjg]

So how old is the gun John????
And did they copy that sight off Relum or did Relum copy it off them? That style of rearsight was used on the Super Tronado and the Taurus 527 breakbarrel that I know of.

Well Guy, when I first saw the pictures of this rifle I thought that it most probably dated from the 1930's, but now I think that Geezer might be right and 1951 would be nearer. the mark. Such a date makes it very likely that Mahely copied the sight from Relum (assuming Relum guns with that sight were on the market by then) as they were obviously trying to get products onto the market quickly at the time by poaching European ideas, the 1950's Webley knock-off pistol being a prime example.

[Josie & John]

Well it has been a couple of days and no one has hit the nail on the head yet, so I had better reveal the answer.

Vic: Nice try with the Spanish company Ojmar, as you got the right language, but wrong country. I was probably being sneaky when I said that the language was European, as the Spanish speaking country concerned is not in Europe.

Frank: That rear sight on the FEG/Telly/Relum you showed does have an uncanny resemblance to the mystery rifle's. Provided the dates corresponded, it would be very likely that the company concerned pinched the idea from FEG as they are known to be much in favour of borrowing others' ideas.

I thought you might get the answer to the challenge Frank, as there are two guns of yours from the same company shown on the Gallery!



Here is the answer:






I wonder if that wooden handle is a real benefit to shooting hold?

I think that wooden handle would come into its own on a cold winter evening on the Bisley vintage range - when the metalwork is that cold your fingers go numb!

Kind regards,

John

[ccdjg]

John will doubtless know better than me, but I believe both the rifle and the Wesley Senioresque pistol are from the 1950s.

The rifle is the Model 1951. Occam’s Razor might suggest that it was introduced in 1951?

Geezer, how did you know that the rifle is the model 1951? Have you seen it documented somewhere - I would love to know where?

Cheers,
John

[Geezer]

Geezer, how did you know that the rifle is the model 1951? Have you seen it documented somewhere - I would love to know where?

Cheers,
John

John

There’s a brief mention in the Blue Book. Not that the Blue Book is always right.

[ccdjg]

John

There’s a brief mention in the Blue Book. Not that the Blue Book is always right.

Thanks, I must have missed that. I have also just found a reference to the actual rifle I pictured online as a Mahely 1950. It is only the one quote, so I can't vouch for its reliability.

Also I have been doing a bit more digging on the internet, and have found a better picture the of the Mahely sight, so a better comparison between the sight and that on the Relums can be made.

The Relum uses a screw to adjust the height, as here:






In contrast the Mahely sight (from the Mahey Senior rifle) actually uses a notched slide for adjustment:





So the similarity between the two sights may just be a coincidence, as all they have in common is the way the sight is hinged to the barrel receiver - not exactly a major technical leap forward.