We where spoilt in the 80's for Custom Rifles.

[gsxrman]

So why or what was the demise?
The fact that spring technology got pretty much optimised?
To improve offerings such as the TX, would cost a lot for not a lot of gain.
Or is it the fact that the springer just didnt need improving, we just went and bought pneumatics instead, low recoil, user friendly and easier to be accurate?
Even the John Darling swapped his tricked up HW80 for a Rapid 7!!!

[Muskett]

So why or what was the demise?
The fact that spring technology got pretty much optimised?
To improve offerings such as the TX, would cost a lot for not a lot of gain.
Or is it the fact that the springer just didnt need improving, we just went and bought pneumatics instead, low recoil, user friendly and easier to be accurate?
Even the John Darling swapped his tricked up HW80 for a Rapid 7!!!

This in heaps.^

[Muskett]

Adam77k, is right too about spit and polish, though a few custom shops were going further.
One reason the custom workshops found the work was because the factory rifles were all a bit hit and miss if you got a good rifle or not. The HW35 was infamous for not reaching its hype. Most needed work. Having said that most of the competition never got further than mediocre.

There has been progress, though if you only need to shoot farmyard ranges then a factory springer will do if half good. Beyond that then its high end springer or better still a PCP. Air Arms do the springers now that have the best of innovation from the 80's.

[TonyL]

So why or what was the demise?
The fact that spring technology got pretty much optimised?
To improve offerings such as the TX, would cost a lot for not a lot of gain.
Or is it the fact that the springer just didnt need improving, we just went and bought pneumatics instead, low recoil, user friendly and easier to be accurate?
Even the John Darling swapped his tricked up HW80 for a Rapid 7!!!

Not sure "we" were spoiled with choice back then, as those rifles, and certainly the custom variants, were well out of my reach as I guess they were for a lot of shooters.
But it was certainly the heyday of springer development and custom work.

The availability of PCP's to the masses, likely saw the demise of the great work done in this period.

Lovers of springers from this period are likely of a "certain age". I was chatting with a mate the other day and wondered whether the appetite for the rifles from this period, and the famous tuning houses will wane, as time goes on, possibly with us getting older and falling off our perches.
I have 2 sons in their late 20's who both shoot. They are simply not interested in springers, no matter how hard I try to encourage them.

This in heaps.^

And all most certainly valid.