Calling all air rifle experts

[Josie & John]

For those who are interested in this era, I have now posted scans from catalogues of Fern Kauf Nord, another distributor that unfortunately renamed the guns it sold...

So now you can see airguns on sale in Germany by three large retailers, Fern Kauf Nord, Burgsmüller (Burgo), and AKAH.

By the way, I'm almost certain the artist got the drawing of an HW35 wrong here, by omitting the stock's breach lock lever cut-out...

Thanks Danny.

Can anyone precisely date these catalogues? I note they include flat headed pellets and am interesting as to when the flat headed pellet was first made? 1950s has been suggested in the past but I'd like to narrow it down more precisely and perhaps identify who first produced the flat headed diabolo pellet.

John

[Garvin]

Thanks Danny.

Can anyone precisely date these catalogues? I note they include flat headed pellets and am interesting as to when the flat headed pellet was first made? 1950s has been suggested in the past but I'd like to narrow it down more precisely and perhaps identify who first produced the flat headed diabolo pellet.

John

Hi John

Unfortunately there is no date printed on either catalogue, unless I'm missing it. I estimated a rather vague "mid-late 1950s" because most of the guns I'm familiar with were definitely on the market by then.

My best guess is 1959, for two reasons.

One is that the edition with Weihrauchs in it appears to include the HW35E, which we know was in circulation by 1959 from this brochure, courtesy of Mike D.

The second reason is that the two editions pictured seem to date from the same year, and share the same cover photo. But one brochure features Falke airguns and the other does not. We know that Falke stopped producing guns in 1959 after its MD and founder had a heart attack. This could be the reason the Falke range were abruptly pulled from the catalogue and a deal done with the Weihrauch factory to fill the gap.

It's all supposition, but there it is! Maybe someone else has got a different date in mind? I'd be interested to hear any alternative theories.

[Josie & John]

Hi John

Unfortunately there is no date printed on either catalogue, unless I'm missing it. I estimated a rather vague "mid-late 1950s" because most of the guns I'm familiar with were definitely on the market by then.

My best guess is 1959, for two reasons.

One is that the edition with Weihrauchs in it appears to include the HW35E, which we know was in circulation by 1959 from this brochure, courtesy of Mike D.

The second reason is that the two editions pictured seem to date from the same year, and share the same cover photo. But one brochure features Falke airguns and the other does not. We know that Falke stopped producing guns in 1959 after its MD and founder had a heart attack. This could be the reason the Falke range were abruptly pulled from the catalogue and a deal done with the Weihrauch factory to fill the gap.

It's all supposition, but there it is! Maybe someone else has got a different date in mind? I'd be interested to hear any alternative theories.

Thanks Danny.

Kind regards,

John