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* Early Pre-War ‘The Greener Air Rifle’ .177 Calibre with Rare W.W Greener Rear Aperture Sight. 22420. - 22420 A rare early unstamped pre-war W.W.Greener ‘The Greener Air Rifle’ in .177 calibre. This rifle was manufactured between 1933 and 1939 by the renowned Gun makers W.W. Greener of Birmingham and was the only Air Rifle they produced (The history of W.W. Greener begins in 1829, when William Greener, who had been working in London for Manton, a prominent gun maker, returned to his hometown of Newcastle and founded the W. Greener company. In November 1844, he determined that most of the materials and components he used for gun making came from Birmingham, and his business was being hampered by the distance between the two towns. Hence, he moved his business from Newcastle to Birmingham. During the period of 1845-58, W. Greener was appointed to make guns for Prince Albert. Money obtained from supplying South Africa with two-groove rifles enabled the company to erect a factory on "Rifle Hill", Aston, in 1859. It was around this time that the company began to really prosper). It is a heavy break barrel rifle which features a unique cam mechanism which pulls the barrel breach tight to the cylinder. This rifle is in excellent original condition retaining most of its original blueing. There is wear to the finish mainly on areas subject to more handling such as the underside of the cylinder and cocking link but generally it is in very good order. With this being an earlier model only ‘W.W.Greener Maker Birmingham’ is stamped to the cylinder and no serial number or bore type. The plain Beech buttstock has a lovely grain and is in very good condition with no splits or cracks having a saw-backed pistol-grip and blued iron heel-plate, blued iron trigger-guard with trigger adjustment screw and one-piece cocking link. The rifle is fitted with open front sights and rare aperture sights to the rear which are stamped ‘W.W.Greener Birmingham to one side and ‘PAT No 10555’ to the other, which function correctly. The rifle cocks and fires without issues and the cam mechanism works correctly. See pages 131-132 of Air Rifles by Hiller for reference. An excellent example of this rare collectable Air Rifle. The price includes UK delivery. 22420. £895.00
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