Hakim Military Trainer

[cinedux]

My Hakim had a hollowed out fore-wood. In it was a plastic bag of white powder. I had a quick look then put the thing back together again! Suppose it was a dessicant?

[Garvin]

My Hakim had a hollowed out fore-wood. In it was a plastic bag of white powder. I had a quick look then put the thing back together again! Suppose it was a dessicant?

Did you sniff it Trev?

[erichtfisherman]

A friend of mine sent me these pics of a VZ35 Military Trainer, I think it's his gun but it may be someone elses that he worked on! (He's a very able gunsmith )











He also sent me pics of a very early Push to cock BSA prototype that never made production, Pretty sure he was making it actually shoot for someone!


John

Yes both mine the VZ35 and push in barrel BSA.

Tim

[45flint]

My Hakim had a hollowed out fore-wood. In it was a plastic bag of white powder. I had a quick look then put the thing back together again! Suppose it was a dessicant?

Wasn’t it said that there were lead weights in the stock? Maybe someone exchanged them for a substance?

[johnbaz]

Yes both mine the VZ35 and push in barrel BSA.

Tim

Ahh!

Cheers Tim, My memory isn't what it used to be!!, John F is a really nice fella, I've got to nip over to his at some time!!


John

[Geezer]

Interesting just read that the odd U shaped piece on the top of the Hakim is not just a representation of the slide of the real rifle, but is a grenade sight for the cadet to get used to? Rifle grenades were very commonly used. Sounds plausible, trying to see if original rifle had similar?

It’s not, though I can see why people might think it is.

It is far too low on the original 7.92mm service rifle to be of any use as a grenade sight.

It is actually a raised part of the bolt carrier/slide in order properly to support the big bent steel wire cartridge case deflector. If that wasn’t present, the design would have the nasty habit of ejecting spent cartridges into the firer’s face or eye.

[frakor]

I would love a VZ35. Only ones I have seen were very expensive! If you have to choose; 22 pellets win pretty easily over odd size round balls? Actually if money is not the issue, my first choice would be a first variant Diana 58 with the bolt or perhaps a BSA military?

The Diana 58 is having a WORKING bolt you have to use to cock the trigger or the rifle can't be fired, as the BSA has a fixed bolt that can't even move!
Actually the trigger unit of the first model Diana 58 is made out of adapted Mauser rifle parts .......



====================
Frank

[cinedux]

In this 21st Century, a collector can visit a heap of gun shows and not come across a fabled Daisy Model 140,thousand-shot BB repeating-rifle,otherwise known as a "Daisy Defender". Broadly based upon the firm's earlier 'Great War' Model 40 gun ,which was a handsome item complete with a rubber-tipped metal bayonet complimenting it's lever-action and fifty-shot magazine. The Model 140 was born into tumultuous times. Ones that saw it's creators turn to more serious tasks in an effort to drive back threatening prospective enemies! With conflict in Europe dominating our news and the question,'should we or shouldn't we get involved' it was inevitable that patriotic Daisy would,as it were,'answer the call!'. Adverts portraying the Model 140 rifle first appeared in early 1941 periodicals. From all accounts the new 'Defender' was eagerly anticipated. Daisy had dropped the idea of fitting a bayonet to the Model 140 and increased it's fire-power by incorporating a thousand-shot magazine. A stock and forearm replaced the earlier singular 'military-style' woodwork of the Model 40. The new 'Defender' had a neat dummy bolt which worked as a safety device and also lent a bit more realism to the firing cycle. A red indicator displayed through a hole in the bolt when the safety was off. Like the earlier Model 40,the Model 140 came fitted with a canvas sling and most seem to have had a colorful identifying sticker stapled around the forearm. All in all,it was a 'Daisy to die for"(as kids were won't to say!) However,(always however….)by the middle of 1941 things were hotting up. Many of Daisy's skilled machinists were involved with national defense. Early May saw Daisy sending out a desperate letter to distributors. In this correspondence they told the trade they definitely would not be making any shipments of the Model 140 in the year 1941. Ready to go stock would be available on January 2,1942. We all know what happened on December 7th 1941! So, there we have it,possibly this particular model was produced for around one month.It is reckoned around twenty-eight thousand units were made..making the Model 140 one of the rarest Daisy guns ever made.

I'm indebted to Gary Garber's 'Encyclopedia of DAISY Plymouth Guns' for most of this information.

[Geezer]

Great stuff, Trev. I’d never heard of that!

You are too modest to link to your own site or to Garvin’s posting of your content. So I have.

http://cinedux.com/daisy-airguns.php

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....-140-defender/

[45flint]

The Diana 58 is having a WORKING bolt you have to use to cock the trigger or the rifle can't be fired, as the BSA has a fixed bolt that can't even move!
Actually the trigger unit of the first model Diana 58 is made out of adapted Mauser rifle parts .......



====================
Frank

Never knew the BSA bolt was just for show!

[45flint]

That Hakim looks better than most, Steve, especially the metalwork. I agree John's articles on the Hakim were excellent.

I owned one at one time and was impressed with its size and heft - no doubt deliberate. It was very accurate and quite powerful, as you'd expect from an aigun made by Anschutz.

Hard not to imagine Egyptian squaddies dragging it through an assault course!


Edit: I've just been reading John Atkins superb article in Air Gunner on postwar German military trainers. Unmissable!

For details on how to get it if you haven't already (£15 a year online only!), here is a link, at the end of this para I wrote in my web links post in the gallery:

- The very best paid-for read on vintage airguns anywhere is John Atkins' articles in Air Gunner magazine. Declaration: I have no financial interest. Alone they make buying a digital subscription worthwhile, plus you get access to an archive of issues which goes back more than 9 years - that is hundreds of large-size pages of top-quality, full-colour articles on vintage airguns, all of which can be downloaded as PDFs. After four decades of writing for magazines, it's no exaggeration to say that Mr Atkins is the most knowledgeable vintage airgun writer in the world. Also, his previous professional life as a newspaper artist and designer means his articles have the most amazing illustrations and photographs. It's a 'no brainer'! https://www.subscriptionsave.co.uk/Magazines/Shooting-Magazines/Air-Gunner/MAG7D01B

Just did a online subscription to Airgunner and just finished John Atkins article on postwar German Military trainers, fascinating. Now going back to previous issues and more of John’s Articles. A steal at online prices and right on my IPad. Good stuff.