Antique airguns - how good might they have been -

[Yrrah]

- with modern pellets and a scope!
Seeing a recent post here somewhere featuring an old BSA prompted me to get out my own old 1919 vintage Light
BSA and put up a target at 25 yards. Shot with .177 Predator Poly Metalmags, open sights and elderly eyes: 

I think the more powerful ones may well have lived up to a pre-war catalogue ad which boasted of sufficient power
for rabbits to 50 yards. ... what do you reckon? .... Regards, Harry.

 

[zx10wall]

Harry,
We’ve all seen you skills. The elderly eyes ? deal is a moot point ? 

 

[Acruz]

Wow nice shooting for an old gun and old eyes. I love the look of that gun. 

 

[Glem.Chally]

Thats so cool Harry!

Thanks for sharing, what kind of fps does it do with these?

 

[Kev]

From pic looks like a BSA Lincoln Jeffries. My brother has one from turn of 19th to 20th century in .22 and it will shoot a JSB Express 14.3 g pellet at 510 fps leather orings and all. A beautiful air rifle in form and function. Thanks for sharing Yrrah.

 

[jps2486]

50 year old FWB 300s still outshoot anything made today.

 

[10x]

jpsi2486, I gonna second that FWB 300S statement....this group was shot at 15yds indoors 5 JSB7.89ers....with a hotrodded gun from Jim E.

Nice shooting Harry as always you never cease to impress me with your shooting abilities..

 

[MScottLeeman]

I guess I just need my eyes to age/season a bit more.

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

Great post, thank you!
Personally love the old airguns even if I cant afford them. I do have an older Haenel MOD III ( told it has never been serviced but shows marks so???) that shoots as well as a person can and much better than my eyes would allow, the trigger is different than today modern " match" triggers but certainly would function just fine for a match shooter.
It has taken a clean head shot on a rabbit at 25ish yards and has provided more fun and training than any other rifle I've owned and that's just the short time I've owned it.

50+ years and the QC employed allows many more years of use I am certain.

I'm a bit sad in general that ( at least in the US ) must people with/wanting airguns want only a friearm replacement - odd to me - and some older pre-charged like a Maco is just a worthless tiny-bore single shot . Gives me hope I might be able to work into a fine rifle like yours or Davo's . 

I'm sure there are not really enough people to buy them but I would still wish all the airgun manufacturers bring back ( QC and ...) 1 or 2 of their older models.


Best wishes toi you & yours,


John

 

[Yrrah]

"Glem.Chally"Thats so cool Harry!
Thanks for sharing, what kind of fps does it do with these?

GC. - The old rifle shoots the 8.5 gr Metalmags at average .k516 fps for 5+ fpe.. and to 21 yd the bc from this gun is 0.0113.
It shoots the 7.9 gr JSB Express a little more accurately at 543 fps average for 5.17 fpe. ... Harry.

 

[Yrrah]

John,
The trigger on this BSA Light model is single stage and could not be better. It is the equal of any match trigger and the actual trigger fits my finger perfectly.
One day I shall see if it and I can match your rabbit shot. With the right pellet it should have just enough energy for the job. ... I agree with your sentiments.
one day I might be lucky enough to get one of the Heavy models which have a much longer air chamber and greater power. Regards, Harry.

 

[Guest]

I have nothing that old, but the Crosman 760's are in that velocity range. And I love my old 160 Pellgun variant one, mid-50's. Wood and steel old-time tack driver. Restomodded it myself to a best of 660/11.76. I'd love to shoot some of those 100 year old plus air rifles once...