Reply With QuoteExtraordinary! A prewar Gat! Who knew? (apart from you John, obviously). Note to self: I must read my ESAP without skipping over sections...
Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
This Harrington Gat was found in a small auction, with no other airguns accompanying it. It was a bit of a gamble buying it on-line, but it turned out to be quite a snip.
The box was unlike any other I had seen, having a lift-off lid, and the pistol was unusual in not having a muzzle adapter for firing corks.
It was evidently a rare first version Gat, the one introduced briefly in 1939 before being suspended by the outbreak of war. The finish is most unusual, and I am sure it is original, consisting of a copper plating layer which had been chemically blacked. The black layer was wearing a bit thin in places, showing the copper under layer. The pistol dismantles quite differently to post- war guns, and has separate grip plates.
The breech pin also differs from that of the post-war models.
The box lid label looks superficially like those on all the later boxes, but in fact shows a pistol with no cork-firing adapter, and also unlike all later box lids, the description makes no mention of using the gun with corks. There is an interesting large label on the bottom of the box.
A great find at a bargain price. So the moral is, keep an eye out for the unexpected lots in the smaller auctions.
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
Extraordinary! A prewar Gat! Who knew? (apart from you John, obviously). Note to self: I must read my ESAP without skipping over sections...
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
A terrific find and great to know it is in the hands of an enthusiast who has documented it.
Registered User
I find the condition of the original box and a packet of the original "GAT" darts to be just as rare as the pistol itself. These accessories really compliment the pistol. So nice to see that there are still nice examples out there for the collector to find. Very nice find John.
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
The last paragraph on the box lid label about accuracy clearly applies to the information given above about licensing, but could equally be applied to the pistol itself.
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
Lol my first gun. Not that i have a soft spot for them, in fact it nearly put me off airguns, swapped it for a nicely faded denim jacket, still feel ripped off.......Originally Posted by Garvin
The last paragraph on the box lid label about accuracy clearly applies to the information given above about licensing, but could equally be applied to the pistol itself.
Registered User
What a lovely find John. The box and envelope of darts are pure icing on the cake and confirm this to be a 1st model.
John Atkins has recently featured an identical pistol and box in Air Gunner, as well as other early Gats and I would dearly love to own such an example myself.
John
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.
Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
Well spotted John. Actually it is the same pistol. I let John Atkins publish it first, before describing it on here, as it fitted in so neatly with his recent Gat articles. So although other examples of this first version Gat without the cork-firing adapter have been reported, the box is still the only one known at present.
Registered User
What a find. Out of interest does anyone know how many Gats were made in total ?
"helplessly they stare at his tracks......."
Registered User
I still have mine, bought around about 1975 !!!
Registered User
That was very good of you John. Your boxed Gat is certainly a very rare example. Most must have been shot or thrown away prior to or during the war.
John
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.
Award-winning Airgun Anorak
Just realised, Trevor Adams mentions this pistol here:
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery....-articles/gat/
and pictures a later, cork-firing, one here:
http://cinedux.com/the-gat.php
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.
The Chrono Slayer
That's a nice ol' Gat!
I have another rarety made by TJ Harrison, A 'Warden' slingshot/cattie!
John
for my gunz guitarz and bonzai, see here
www.flickr.com/photos/8163995@N07/
The collector formerly known as micky
Hi John, what a great find. I have had 2 of these and saw one at a recent auction. and none of them had any finish on them of any kind at all. just in the plain alloy. l like the sticker on the bottom of the box.
Registered User
Nice to find a Recent Gat thread which I'm going to add to. Was a Shepton Flea today and found a chromed version which I never new were made, I just thought they were black.
Anyhow, trying to date mine and can put it between a prewar and 1970 as it has a metal tube at the front and not the later plastic one. It also has the pre patent writing on the left.
I new there was something about different plungers, so thanks for the pic.
This one is in good nick, it's just a shame it had no box.
If you want pics could I trouble you kind folk to load them if I email to you..dom
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