When I started my first airgun club in Exmouth in 1971 the Spanish made GAMO Centre under-lever air pistol was a popular choice for newcomers to the sport because it was readily available (and at a very good price) from most sports shops in the UK.

Rivals such as the break-barrel Original Model 5 and Walther LP53 were more expensive and did not score any better in the hands of most novice shooters, and in time these inexpensive air pistols gained a lot of respect from experienced shooters too as being a very accurate performer.

The under-lever was also a nice feature as it kept the barrel and sights "in-line" and avoided the "suspicion" (myth?) that the break barrel rivals may not be as inherently accurate because the alignment of the front and rear sights was never disprupted each time the pistol was cocked.

Being able to adjust the grip to give a more "wrist down" hold was also seen as an advantage to some owners who found the "military grip" of all its rivals did not suite them as well.

The GAMO Centre has become a classic in its own right and can still out-shoot many of its more expensive rivals and good examples are getting harder to find.