Registered User
Hi all,
Me & the missus took a trip up North to visit John and put together a video of his fabulous repro air pistols.
He’s a natural presenter and it went really well:
https://youtu.be/VCr9RcVnslc
Should be of interest, there’s a video on his two gallery pistols to follow, just doing the editing.
Was a real honour,
Thanks John!
Matt
Last edited by ptdunk; 02-12-2021 at 06:17 PM.
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
Wow! Wow! Fantastic! I just spent a blissful 40 minutes watching it. Congratulations for a super production, brilliantly presented by John. Thank you.Originally Posted by ptdunk
Two things spring to mind. First is just how chunky the Frank Clarke twist-grip is. Second is how complicated the Hill pistol is and what an incredible challenge it must have been to make!
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.
Registered User
Another excellent production Matt and wonderful presentation from John.
This has really brought these pistols to life - for example I would never have imagined how dangerous the Whiting Webley could be to a user's hand when it was cocked and being loaded.
I also love the reproduced markings and the close ups at the end of the video.
Thank you both for your efforts in producing this.
John M
Last edited by Josie & John; 02-12-2021 at 05:04 PM.
Currently looking for Baikal Makarov pistols with the following prefixes to the serial number: 98, T01, T09, T21, T22
Prefer boxed or cased but will consider loose examples too.
Registered User
Really enjoyed watching that.
Thanks for putting it up and it shows how much effort and thought goes into making those airguns.
Registered User
A big thank you to Matt and John for making and sharing this extremely professionally produced video for us all to enjoy. Although better than nothing, trying to visualise how these prototype pistols worked from books and patent drawings is not like seeing them in actual use as we can here. Reproducing them and testing them also allows us to understand how they actually performed in practice rather than by theoretically estimating this based on their respective designs.
The quality and workmanship of these reproductions needs no superlatives as at it least matches and probably exceeds anything that might have come from the original manufacturer.
Hopefully with the necessary permissions, this video will be added to Danny's excellent gallery.
Brian
Always late to the party !
Wow indeed really enjoyed that absolutely outstanding stuff
Registered User
Best 40mins I have spent all weekIt's a wonder of these times, that we can all get to enjoy almost being in Johns house and looking at his marvellous work. Thanks Matt and John
Not hard to see why Webleys over lever compact air pistol design was such a success both pre and post war when you see how complicated some of those design patents were.
Psst - don't talk about dry firing spring guns
Registered User
Didn't realise the twist grip cocked on the way down! Absolute privilege to see the fruits of a very talented writer/artisan!Regards Trev
Surrey's Anglo Saxon
Gobsmacked!
Registered User
Awesome video !
Thank you both for your efforts in producing this presentation.
FWIW, when I cock my own version of the 1910 Webley-Whiting, I allow the cocking lever to fall away before sticking my fingers in there to load a pellet.
No pinched digits here....lol.
Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
Now why didn't I think of that? Thanks Len!
All the best,
John
Registered User
The viewers on youtube seem understandably impressed, glad it's reaching some people who otherwise would never have come across them, such amazing pistols.
My favorites to shoot were the twist-grip and the Mercury, and for sheer technical achievement its got to be the Hill two-stage pistol, I didn't realise just how involved that mechanism was until John demo'd it on camera.
It's funny, when they were all laid out both me and then later the missus (she's a mean pistol shot) found ourselves immediately drawn to the Twist - grip, it's so unlike any other pistol we've seen, and really nice to handle and shoot.
We count ourselves lucky.
Thanks again John,
Matt
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
It's really a stunning video. I just watched it for a second time.
Vintage Airguns Gallery
..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.
Registered User
Very interesting to see the operation and loading of these fine examples of craftmanship. Great job on the video that brought these pistols to life.
Registered User
Just awesome, thanks so much for the excellent documentation of these extraordinary treasures. So interesting to see the various designs. The two stage cocking reminded me of the Targ-aire pistol where the ratchet is pulled back three times to achieve full power. Not sure if it was meant to be fired in the in between stages?
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