History of AA guns

[Dr B]

OK, so I've been shooting AAs for about 15years. Before that, tuned HW80s, and Webley Vulcans.

I was reading the old John Darling book the other day and I'm sure there was an AA PCP model in there I'd never heard of. So this got me thinking. Does anyone here have a relatively comprehensive list of models over the AA history? Also, did any of you own some of the really early models? Were they any good? Why were some models discontinuued? Some of these older models may pop up on the second hand market from time to time so would be good to know if they are gems....or not as the case may be.

atb
DrB

[Blackbaronfish]

Are we talking solely Air Arms or are we going back further to Sussex Armoury.


BBF

[Axelrod]

The Shamal was the first pcp built by AA. It was followed by the 100 series before the Protarget. I do not remember the year but it was the late 80s .I still shoot the Shamal in.22 and the pro in .177 Can,t fault either of them . dave

[cyclopse]

This is from the Air Arms website. click on MORE then click on ABOUT US.
The Air Arms story began back in 1983, when company founder, Bob Nicholls, and his General Manager, Colin King, were joined by Bill Sanders in the role of Sales and Marketing Manager. At the time, neither airguns themselves or the industry that produced them could be described as ‘hi-tech’, but this was about to change, and Air Arms would lead the way. In 1988, the decision was made to produce a pre-charged pneumatic rifle, and with the success of that decision, the company made another one — it would invest in Computer Numerically Controlled production machinery.
John

[Raj]

And isnt it weird that I ride my roadbike many Sundays with the guy the produces the said CNC machinery for Air Arms .... it was a bizarre conversation over a pint in a pub some weeks ago when i mentioned my passion for air rifles and the topic of Air Arms came up

[FPoole]

The old sidelever springers can be very nice to look at, but I think the real deal came along about 1990. It was called the TX200. I'm sure the triggers on the early guns let them down because my 2 sidelever guns are just single stage with a long take up.

[Dr B]

Are we talking solely Air Arms or are we going back further to Sussex Armoury.


BBF

I was mainly thinking AA, but hey, its a broad church....

[Dr B]

The Shamal was the first pcp built by AA. It was followed by the 100 series before the Protarget. I do not remember the year but it was the late 80s .I still shoot the Shamal in.22 and the pro in .177 Can,t fault either of them . dave

Thanks Dave, ah yes, I recognise the name Shamal. Never heard of the protarget. Is the Shamal a good gun? Still hold its own againt what's around today?

[Dr B]

The old sidelever springers can be very nice to look at, but I think the real deal came along about 1990. It was called the TX200. I'm sure the triggers on the early guns let them down because my 2 sidelever guns are just single stage with a long take up.

Cheers mate. Side lever springers...hmmmmm.....
The TX was a game changer....and if I remember rightly, HW got hot under the collar over its design....

[Blackbaronfish]

These are off the top of my head.

Springers
The Firepower
The Highpower
The Combat
Minstrel AL
Minstrel
Bora
Camargue
Kamsin
TX 200
Pro Sport



PCP
Shamal
S300
S310
S400
S410
MPR
EV
S500
S510