No, webley used it on the eclipes underlever rifle & walther on their target rifles I think.
Part of collecting arms of any sort is appreciating the history that certain rifles evoke. The Browning AirStar has I think unique loading system which reminds me of the US Army trapdoor rifles used during the Indian Wars. Here is a UTube of that cartridge loading system.
https://youtu.be/JC0C41KX8RY
Here is a quick UTube I found on the Airstar loading system:
https://youtu.be/qJJ0NagoWpQ
Is there anything similar on any other airgun?
No, webley used it on the eclipes underlever rifle & walther on their target rifles I think.
Also the RWS Diana 46 Stutzen.
Baz
BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER, DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD
In the Walther LGR it's not so much a trapdoor as a folding breech - ie. you put the pellet into the door rather than under it.
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.
Looking at UTubes the Walther, RWS, and the Webley are identical, you load the pellet into the barrel like most air rifles?
https://youtu.be/eKlfgWaSF3A. Whether the distinction is worthwhile you be the judge.
Last edited by 45flint; 22-07-2017 at 06:36 PM.
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.
As far as spring air pistols go, two come to mind which use a hinged trap door loading principle, of sorts. These are the Hungarian Lampagyar
http://www.vintageairgunsgallery.com/image/Mxru
http://www.vintageairgunsgallery.com/image/MpUG
http://www.vintageairgunsgallery.com/image/MK2S
and the Swedish Excellent 1950
http://www.vintageairgunsgallery.com/image/MnPB
http://www.vintageairgunsgallery.com/image/MkXA
http://www.vintageairgunsgallery.com/image/MXjQ
The Lampagyar is unusual in that the trap door is opened and closed automatically during cocking.
I've never seen that Hungarian pistol before.
This is why I find collecting so interesting: such a simple design problem (propel a pellet reasonably accurately using compressed air), so many different designs tried.
I think it is unique, most trapdoors allow you to push the pellet into the rifling. That Browning one is just dropping it into the breech - does something push it into the rifling or does the pellet jump into it on firing? If the latter it is a shit design.
Although the pellet makes a similar transition from the loading tap into the rifling on the BSA/LJ underlevers and they're still capable of great accuracy. I suppose the alignment of tap and bore has to be spot on, and soft lead presumably allows a tiny margin for error here?
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.
Good point, kind of similar. I have found the AirStar to be very accurate, but it's as everything else on the gun, uniquely strange? The loading port as configured lets the AirStar have one oval O ring seal above the opening. The other systems have two o ring seals one on each side of the opened breech.