My collection

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louisvh

louisvh

Member
May 6, 2018
8
0
Norfolk
Hi, 

My name is Louis and I looooove airguns. 

I'm a 31 year old Dutch vet living in England and at the moment I'm mostly into vintage Japanese pumpers and CO2 guns. 

Here are photos from a few of my guns. Hopefully there will be a Sharp U-SL joining the family soon. 

Thank you for having me on this forum, 

With kind regards, 

Louis

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Hi intenseaty22, thank you :)

Here are some photos with brand/model names. 

Where my interest in Japanese airguns began: Sharp Innova. In my opinion this is the best one. It gets criticism for its (high quality and well finished) composite parts (breech, trigger, end piece). But I think that's part of the magic. It's a lightweight, compact, low cost (when it was sold in the eighties), super accurate pumper. Designed by the Sharp founder, the late Kensuke Chiba (he died in 2001; after that, the brand name was Sharp Chiba. It still made Ace Hunters and Innova's, until 2015; it could not keep up with competition from pcp's, making pumpers and CO2 guns. There was a pcp prototype, but it came too late). The Japanese airguns were inspired by the American designs, that were brought to Japan with US soldiers. The Innova was made in .177, .20 and .22. In the UK, you can only get the eighties .177 and .22 models, not the later Sharp Chiba ones. The second photo is an example of a Sharp Chiba Innova with an original Sharp gunslip (photo from the internet): 

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Sharp Victory 700. This was made between 1975 and 1980, if my info is correct. It was followed by the Innova. Both were intended to be lightweight, powerful hunting rifles. In Japan, you are not allowed to own airguns for fun. You must need them, and all airguns go on a ticket. I believe the Victory 700 was only made in .177 and .22 caliber. 

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There are many other Sharp models that I do not have. A very popular one is the Ace. A very nice gun too. It can deliver about 25 ft/lbs in .22

This is my Heirinkan Model A. From the seventies. A very fine gun. I bought it cheap as the trigger mechanism is missing. The previous owner got dementia and lost it (he took the gun apart when he travelled to his holiday house in Spain). An engineer in Dorset is making the trigger mech for me, fingers crossed it will work out nice. 

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I know very little about Heirinkan apart from what is written in the Blue Book of Airguns. Most research must be done in Japanese, with Google Translate. Part of the fun for me. If there are Sharp and Heirinkan experts on here, it would be cool to learn more. One of my biggest wishes is to find a photo of Kensuke Chiba. It feels like I have searched the earth. Nothing. He presided the Japanese Rifle Association; I will probably have to send them a letter to ask for a photo as I'm sure they will have one. 

Cheers, Louis
 
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Nice collection! What is the story with the Sheridan Blue Streak?
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Hi BassMan, do you mean the story with this particular Blue Streak (the one above, in my original post)?

It is an eighties one, with Williams peep sight (the standard rear sight is in the box).

What I like about this example is its condition, the box, and the fact that the manual serial number corresponds. Someone bought it and probably just looked at it from time to time. I use it, and it's very accurate. 3 easy pumps - lots of plinking fun. But it would make a good hunting gun too. I have just bought a set of small Sheridan mounts (as opposed to the more common one piece mount). I know that these mounts can cause the barrel to separate from the tube, so I'll have to be careful and install a very light scope; a 6 dollar 4x20 off the bay will be the choice. Not great optics, but just super light and ok up to about 70 yards for beer can plinking, I've found with one of my Innova's.

I prefer my other Blue Streak to be honest. The one below. I bought it cheap from a friend, as a project gun. Needed to be repaired. It has more character, in my view. 

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