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Done my bit for the BBS: http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....-being-a-mod-… now I’m a game-keeper turned poacher.
BSA Military pattern and a .177 BSA CS with peep sights
The first may be a while off yet but the 2nd is top of my search list, only managed to find .22 so far, I have an iron sight CS in .177 and love it
Steyr LP10, Steyr LP5,
Vintage Collection - Walther LP53, HW77k Venom, BSF S20 Match, Original 35, ASI Target plus lots more
In US I have been looking for a Crosman Town and Country for a long while. It kind of goes with the military collector group in a way. An Army General helped design it to have a military trainer look? Made well and for a very short time, I think only a year, 1949?. I have seen one but it was not in great shape.
Last edited by 45flint; 26-10-2017 at 10:13 PM.
And, the one you want is the model 107 (.177) Town and Country. Very rare. It's been called the rarest of the rare, but, since there are Crosman models that are almost impossible to find, it's bit of an exaggeration.
My introduction to American vintage airguns started with a 107 T&C. I went to the local airgun shop, Ollie Damon's, wanting an air rifle to work on. (Was looking for a new hobby at the time and thought, "maybe gun refinishing" but not wanting to start on a firearm and..... ) They pulled this big, old rifle from the back and the price was a firm $24.50. Actually thought they were taking advantage of me but it did look like an interesting item. Of course, it turned out to be a very rare fully marked late model 107. Took something like 2 months of work to get the darn thing going. Stripped it bare of paint and polished it with Flitz. Looked gorgeous and shot like a dream. Even in it's polished state, I was able to sell it for $700. Found another (mint!) 107 in a Davenport, IA, antique Mall. Spotted it in a booth, looked at the muzzle and it was .177 (!) slowly turned over the price tag..... jitter, jitter...... jitter.... $35. Score! And, yes, I asked for and got my professional 15% discount. Think I sold that one for $900. Then a long dry spell. It was like all the T&C's had disappeared. Got lonely for one and picked up a very nice example from Myron Kasok auction, think it was less than $500 but is a 108 if memory serves.
They were only in the 1949 catalog but it appears that some were made later. The final cutoff likely would have been the move to Fairport in 1952. You can ID a 1949 example by the butt plate.
With a reproduction tank, there's no reason why a good condition original couldn't be shot. It's only the "G" marked guns that go for big bucks from what I've seen. Unmarked examples seem to go for reasonable numbers. English maker marked models (especially Staudenmayer, Mortimer) go for more. Imo, the finest airguns from this era are the later Staudenmayer examples - which are of his own unique design rather than the classic model (as described by Baker/Currie) which I refer to as the Nemetz improved Girandoni.
Years ago, I decided that I wanted an example of the really great British large bore pneumatics, but, figuring excess would prove financially ruinous, only one example was decided upon. With that, I decided upon an excellent condition, cased example of a London air cane. Found one at a local gun show, in fact this gun had been offered to Larry Hanusch who passed up on because of the price asked. As I recall it was about $3000 but it was everything one could ask for in a London air cane: nice original box, original instructions pasted onto inside of lid, rotary breech load, large .38 caliber, extra parts, gun in 90% original condition, everything complete, extra parts. And, as I sort of expected, it worked right out of the box. Takes about 150 pumps but..... a bit of real history.
Should add that my decision on a London air cane from attending the New York, Baldwinville air gun show and shoot. It was there that I had the experience of one of these air canes being shot. It was easy to see why they ended up taking over the London airgun market. I instantly fell in love.
Radar can't pick them up!
This is my holy grail. 77 airmasters mastersport chameleon FTS. There was only abut 9 chameleons made and probably only 2 made with the FTS stock. This is number 6 as seen on the engraved silver plaque. Not long after I got this I heard of another chameleon which I put my best mate Simmo onto.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124581.../shares/m3Qvk9
https://www.flickr.com/gp/124581931@N06/3h45m6
Fozzy
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Done my bit for the BBS: http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....-being-a-mod-… now I’m a game-keeper turned poacher.
I saw a Centenary on Freeads advertised an an 'old Airsporter' - the picture was very definately of a Centenary Airsporter - obviously it sold very quickly and not for very much - so someone was either totally unaware of what they had, or else it was a 'wind up' - possibly the latter but also quite possibly the former!
If genuine - someone got a bargain!
ASM
I am a Man of La Northumberlandia, a true Knight and spend my days on my Quest (my duty nay privilege!) and fighting dragons and unbeatable foe, to right the unrightable wrongs, to bear with unbearable sorrow and dreaming my impossible dreams.