Precision rifle, level pump, manufacturer unknown

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armonica

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Oct 20, 2022
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Huntingtown
Hi. I own an air rifle that was built by someone that was in the US from Germany. He was unable to take it back to Germany. I'm not finding anything on the components to tell me who made any of it. I'm sure he didn't make all the parts himself though I think he made some. It seems to be a 22 cal. It fires 22 cal pellets. I don't know how well yet. Can anyone identify anything on this gun?

Thanks,
Rob





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Well that's just absolutely TOO cool! Looks to be the work of an individual master machinist, certainly not any sort of commercial model that I've ever seen.

That's known as a "tap loading" system (perfected by Lincoln Jefferies and BSA around 1900, and used on many top-of-the-line European springer rifles for 80+ years). I think you're probably right about the Giss recoilless double pistons, and the bits in front of the trigger block may be a trigger-block safety system. The pale gold finish look like some sort of phosphating, or powder coating.

Put this in production and I'll buy one in a New York minute, LOL...It's like all my fave old rifles merged into one! Could you please post some more overall photos of it In the stock?
 
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If moving to Germany meant giving this up then I’d stay here. But then I’d stay here anyway. Can’t bring it along, don’t get me started.
What a piece of perfection. Attention to detail is off the charts. Certainly looks totally custom by a master. Probably satin nickel plating I would imagine.
Please keep us informed on the performance side. Thank you for sharing.
 
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Sicumj said:
A lot of machining in that rifle. Is it made of stainless? It looks like a professional homemade semi target rifle. Does the flat machining surfaces mate with the stock? Is the stock bedded? The cocking lever assembly looks robust.
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This is one of those cases where I'm afraid to do anything to it to find out. It could be stainless. However, he has the descent bags in there. The gun fits into the stock like a glove on a hand. It didn't come with the two stainless screws seen in the picture. I went to a local hardware store and bought them.
The cocking is not easy. It has a strong spring and I was sure to add a light gun grease to the shiny parts to minimize a problem.

The last thing I want to do is something to it and everyone say - why'd you do that?
 
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JohnL57 said:
Very interesting rifle! It almost looks like it could be a dual piston system like the Diana Giss guns, as there's a mechanism on each side of the compression tube. Have you tried shooting it? If that's a one-off handmade gun, the guy is a highly skilled craftsman. Is the compression tube steel?
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I fired it. If I fire it with nothing it doesn't sound like much of anything happened. I put a 22 cal pellet in and shot it into a trap at close range. There are no sights on the gun. I tried to buy a scope mount and scope at a local gun store. Unfortunately that morning the Alphabet org showed up and shut them down for a few days UN-announced. I'll go back over there soon and see if I can find a scope mount for it and see how it does.
 
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Ryden said:
Don't ever fire it without a pellet!
When I think about the damage it does to ordinary rifles I shudder at the thought what that could do to such a mechanical masterpiece.
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I didn't think that would bother it. I've been shooting airguns for almost 50 years. I've never had a problem with that. I hope I haven't already messed it up. If I did I don't even know where to begin to repair it.
Ryden said:
Yes, it looks like an Airsporter tap loader.
But the comparison is like an old Opel Record to a Mercedes-Maybach

Why doesn't anyone ever offer me a hand-built, one of a kind air rifle? :cry:
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Right place, right time, a lot of luck. I know this is like a once in a lifetime thing. I'm trying to be careful and not ruin it.

BTW, what should I be using for pellets? The ones I have are for a Ruger airgun. The Ruger airgun that had about a 25 Lbs trigger pull until I found guys online that had a trigger fix for it. The Ruger also has a very challenging force needed to cock it. They're Amazon bought pellets. Target/small game control. Mostly rabbits that were causing a problem. They seem to know about traps. Even though I've caught many rabbits in that trap years ago. Maybe someone trapped them and released them near me.
 
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Yeah never dry fire a spring air rifle. They utilize the cushion the pellet supplies when in the barrel, When not there parts slam together. The spring will sometimes break. You will hammer the seal on the piston. All bad voodoo.

I would lube hinge and pivot points with light oil. Do not grease or oil the spring you may get oil in the chamber causing it to diesel. To bad some of our airgun smiths haven't seen it yet their input would be interesting.
 
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JSB Exact, H&N FTT, RWS Meisterkugeln would be three good pellets to try, but it's very hard to advice you what would work best in a one off hand made barrel.
Both diameter and weight are important factors and some rifles are very finicky and others will deliver whatever you feed them.

A springer air rifle is designed to compress all the air in the cylinder into the transfer port and brake the piston down to stop before the pellet starts moving, if you don't have the pellet there the piston will slam into the breech full force and something will give, the seal if your lucky...

Let's just say that I have empirical knowledge and leave it at that.
 
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Do you know anyone with a chronograph? Since you don’t know anything about the spring strength it would help in choosing pellets. Generally somewhere in the 800’ish FPS will give you the best accuracy and power. More powerful springers you generally shoot a heavier pellet and less powerful a lighter one. Use the chrono to find the pellets that give you good accuracy and energy.
 
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It’s a really interesting airgun. It must be a giss design. The pellet only being driven by the front piston. If you look at the position of the central gear of the giss pistons is the front section of the compression tube longer or is that my imagination?
I’m guessing it makes more power than the Diana match rifles which might be why he couldn’t take it back to Germany?
You would presume the point of copying the giss system and not just purchasing a Diana is to produce more power?
I wonder if he made his own pistons, gearing ect or used Diana parts in there. If he made the lot that is pretty amazing.
It’s amazing anyway.
Thanks for sharing.
 
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