Just partially answered this in another post but prompted me to research a little.
The first pcp pellet rifle i can find is the Daystate Huntsman .. circa 1980. Daystate was making pcp tranquilizer guns, starting in 1978. Air Arms wasn't much behind but their Shamal was introduced in 1986, I think.
The biggest jump for current rifles is cf tanks... allowing much more air and higher pressures without huge weight. Valve tech has improved, as well as valve materials. Regs have been around for a long time but machining capabilities and and seal material allow them to be more compact.
Good pellets have been around for a long time, also. Not sure of brands but the Bell Target game in the early 1900s would have required pretty decent pellets but for sure, pellets were very good by the early 50s, when the Olympic style rifles were first being made. Crosman designed and produced the Premier pellets in the late 90s that were very carefully made to have a higher bc than others of that era and may have launched the long range capability of air rifles. H&N was making the Baracuda already as well as a couple of other domed models and RWS was marketing the Superdome but those were not as good for any rifle I shot in that era. Then JSB has changed the market with many offerings suitable for longer ranges while Crosman has let quality slip too far and H&N hasn't changed much.
ABSOLUTELY .... there have been a good number of hand made pcp's posted on this site but GTA likely has many more. For one example, Larry Durham created 7 "Simple Simons" in his shop to prove a point. These were the preproduction version of the USFT. The SS and the USFT's are incredibly good... though the appearance is one of functionality.
Hope this helps ,
Bob
