Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 38

Thread: Do collectors have any preference for 177 or 22 when purchasing?

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Worthing
    Posts
    3,380
    Quote Originally Posted by 45flint View Post
    Are you saying with spring pistols .177 are more accurate?
    Hi Steve,

    All my spring powered air pistols perform better in .177 compared with .22, but my Crosman 150 and Benjamin Rocket are more accurate than any of my .22 spring powered pistols.

    Brian

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bruton
    Posts
    6,616
    Some guys want an example of a particular gun in all the calibres in which it was made. A rarer calibre for the model (.25” in many cases, .177” in quite a few British sporters), it often attracts a premium.

    And some guns just seem to me a bit wrong in a particular calibre. Like examples of guns in .22” that were mostly aimed at the FT market (SR200, Park, for example).

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Wooster
    Posts
    3,664
    Quote Originally Posted by Abasmajor View Post
    Hi Steve,

    All my spring powered air pistols perform better in .177 compared with .22, but my Crosman 150 and Benjamin Rocket are more accurate than any of my .22 spring powered pistols.

    Brian
    That’s an interesting observation, one difficult to test since all my Crosman and Benjamin CO2 pistols are in 22. The .177 examples are a bit rarer. I think I’ll take your word for it!

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chester
    Posts
    1,009
    The 0.25 Cal has been mentioned earlier , so any Webley Service collector would probably want one of each Calibre.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    KENT
    Posts
    379
    Because I am a field target shooter. My preference is .177 calibre. Iv'e had quite a few .22's in the past. But I am primarily a .177 man.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Market Drayton
    Posts
    682

    .25

    Quote Originally Posted by Sam99 View Post
    The 0.25 Cal has been mentioned earlier , so any Webley Service collector would probably want one of each Calibre.
    I cleanly forgot i have one in all three calibres, .177 .22 and the rarer ,25.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Worthing
    Posts
    3,380
    Talking about rarer calibres, I bought a .20 calibre Benjamin (EB20) pistol on a whim, but can't say it provides anything beneficial in terms of performance.

    Brian

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Leicester
    Posts
    12,379
    Doesn’t matter to me, i have more .22 than .177 in my growing collection.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bruton
    Posts
    6,616
    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    Some guys want an example of a particular gun in all the calibres in which it was made. A rarer calibre for the model (.25” in many cases, .177” in quite a few British sporters), it often attracts a premium.

    And some guns just seem to me a bit wrong in a particular calibre. Like examples of guns in .22” that were mostly aimed at the FT market (SR200, Park, for example).
    On the other hand, some guns just seem “wrong” to me in .177”. BSA Airsporters, Webley Falcons, Hawks, Vulcans, Trackers, C1s, for example.

    Oddly, many of them are rare in .177” over here (and certainly late Airsporters in .177” are a bit sought after by some collectors), whereas in the states most Trackers or C1s are .177” (and the .22”s may be more sought after).

  10. #25
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Glenrothes
    Posts
    1,356
    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    On the other hand, some guns just seem “wrong” to me in .177”. BSA Airsporters, Webley Falcons, Hawks, Vulcans, Trackers, C1s, for example.

    Oddly, many of them are rare in .177” over here (and certainly late Airsporters in .177” are a bit sought after by some collectors), whereas in the states most Trackers or C1s are .177” (and the .22”s may be more sought after).
    Evening Geezer..Im struggling to think of a British gun between an early vintage LJ/ BSA used for Bell Target and possibly a Webley Omega that seems "right" in .177.
    Osprey Supertarget springs to mind but not much else. A small Milbro Diana, possibly.This is far from my specialist subject admittedly.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bruton
    Posts
    6,616
    Quote Originally Posted by Drew451 View Post
    Evening Geezer..Im struggling to think of a British gun between an early vintage LJ/ BSA used for Bell Target and possibly a Webley Omega that seems "right" in .177.
    Osprey Supertarget springs to mind but not much else. A small Milbro Diana, possibly.This is far from my specialist subject admittedly.
    I’m basically with you.

    But I am ambivalent about Webley Mk3s (introduced in .177” only at first, and widely used for target work in the 50s), all the smaller stuff (Milbro 25s, Webley Junior/Ranger/Jaguar, BSA Cadets).

    For many pistols, .177” is either the only calibre they were made in, or I am ambivalent (eg wobbly Webleys, which I like in both calibres, despite my very unscientific view that they tend to be more accurate in .177”). But BSA Scorpions have to be .22”, surely? A .177” Scorp is like having a 1300 or 1600 Capri, when you could have had at least the 2-litre or even the 3-litre V6.

    Personally, I think the Omega is most “right” in .22”. By the time it was introduced (1984/85), it was not competitive in FT, but it was before the whole .177” for hunting thing really took off in the 90s.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Glenrothes
    Posts
    1,356
    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    I’m basically with you.

    But I am ambivalent about Webley Mk3s (introduced in .177” only at first, and widely used for target work in the 50s), all the smaller stuff (Milbro 25s, Webley Junior/Ranger/Jaguar, BSA Cadets).

    For many pistols, .177” is either the only calibre they were made in, or I am ambivalent (eg wobbly Webleys, which I like in both calibres, despite my very unscientific view that they tend to be more accurate in .177”). But BSA Scorpions have to be .22”, surely? A .177” Scorp is like having a 1300 or 1600 Capri, when you could have had at least the 2-litre or even the 3-litre V6.

    Personally, I think the Omega is most “right” in .22”. By the time it was introduced (1984/85), it was not competitive in FT, but it was before the whole .177” for hunting thing really took off in the 90s.
    Im in agreement re. the junior rifles and the Webley pistols as .177 contenders. Scorp traditionally a slot in for .22 due to its .44 magnum of the airgun world status. I must admit I'd have went for a .177 though.
    I went for an Omega for a possible .177 candidate due to it being a quality British gun that arrived during the FT frenzy and for that reason only. I have never owned or even shot one but somehow know it would have been a good gun in the smaller calibre. Up against it vs the Germans at the time but it caught my imagination back then regardless.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Bruton
    Posts
    6,616
    Quote Originally Posted by Drew451 View Post
    Im in agreement re. the junior rifles and the Webley pistols as .177 contenders. Scorp traditionally a slot in for .22 due to its .44 magnum of the airgun world status. I must admit I'd have went for a .177 though.
    I went for an Omega for a possible .177 candidate due to it being a quality British gun that arrived during the FT frenzy and for that reason only. I have never owned or even shot one but somehow know it would have been a good gun in the smaller calibre. Up against it vs the Germans at the time but it caught my imagination back then regardless.
    I like the Omega a lot, and have one, but, in 1984/5, it was still not quite as good as the FWB Sport which (with the Mk1 A335 barrel lock) it copied, and, for FT purposes, was blown out of the water by the 1983/4 HW77. And it cost more than either of them.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    East Sussex, Nr Rye
    Posts
    17,665
    I was collecting and then had a change of heart, so sold most off. Height of collecting was 40 odd rifles from the 1980s to 2000, and mostly springers.

    .177 is my preferred calibre for beyond farmyard hunting, and with springers is most challenging.
    However, when I had the collection I soon came to the conclusion that many of the older rifles just weren't up to shooting to modern ethical standards beyond the farmyard. The very best, or well tuned, could, but most factory just struggled. From that then what calibre doesn't matter much if the maximum range is 25m. Some 20m was about it to have real confidence to hit tiny.

    For sights too, then open sights can hit a 2pence piece out to 20m. Or a 4x40 scope hold it there. 30m then a 3-9x40 with give ample sight picture.

    On hunting springers then .177 are harder to find as .22s were considered "better" at the time and far more were sold. Load of rubbish but that was what gunshops at the time stuck with. But then most gunshop staff weren't up to speed with air rifle advances.

    It really comes down to if the rifle design can deliver .177 pin point accuracy to 35m. So many factory springers can't really. Most Theobens can. The HW77 and 80, Original 45, and fettled FWB Sport can.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Pontypridd South Wales uk
    Posts
    1,850

    Collecting/calibres

    I think that, as has been alluded to in some of the replies particularly Muskett, back in the the golden age of springers (to my mind this was late 70s through to perhaps early 90s) then by and large almost everyone purchased a .22 weapon for sporting purposes. The perception back then that it was THE hunting calibre was also to a degree endorsed by the airgun press (am not getting into the .177 for feather, .22 for fur debate here), and I can well imagine back then that some outlets were actually loathe to order .177 models of a weapon only to have them languish in their shop unsold. So, for my part I do view the .177 versions of classic springers as more desirable by that fact alone. And going by the perceived desirability of say a FWB 124, I don't think I'm alone. I think for the ultimate rarity there are some weapons which didn't sell in huge numbers back in the day and on top of that to find them in the smaller calibre is even harder. The Original 35/35s being one that springs to mind.
    These days I'm happy to pick up a springer that ticks the boxes for me in whatever calibre I find it in. If I really fancy a gun I try not to let it get away whichever calibre it's in.
    As for newer modern weapons instinct drives me the .177 route. I find the trajectory a little more forgiving for longer shots and they are cheaper to run. However it's also clear that some of the smaller lower cubic capacity springers fettle a little better in .22 so that also has a bearing with me.
    As for a split between the calibres within my collection as it stands I'm really not sure. I'd maybe say it's maybe 60/40 in favour of .22. For quite some years I didn't even own a .177 air rifle.
    Dave

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •