Hi there JAYB...

Now you're pushing it...? Thinking hard about the push-rod to which your refer? Do you recall the 'Gecardo' brand A/R? I 'think' that Diana of yours was a German mfg'd A/R, in that it had a rifled barrel. And Gecardo was either made by Diana or Diana by Gecardo? The 'Falk' Brand was also German, of very similar design to both Gecardo and Diana. The Germans produced excellent A/R I reckon.

The 'C A J' was a smooth bore beast. Most certainly not your average MOA Mod 82A, Barrett (Light) anti-material .50cal. But at 'point blank' on the thumbs of silly eight year old school boys, accuracy was superb.

I'm sorry, I don't think we used a 'push rod' or ram rod to seat the pellet? Still I stand to be corrected, it was a long time ago now. Before retiring I spent a few years in Ballistics, Scientific Division. On our first big (federally funded) Buy Backs, the number of A/R's surrounded was amazing, including many of the older German Falks, Gecardo's and Diana's (the British BSA manufactured versions). I could only wish to get my grubby little mitts on a couple of them. Not to shoot, just possess was all? Somehow PM John HOWARD wouldn't necessarily see the funny side of it though. Thanks JAYB for a trip down memory lane.

OSW: Diana's (the British BSA manufactured versions).

That the one I had. It had the BSA Logo on it. I don't remember if the barrel was rifled. The Cracker-a-Jacks had a massive barrel & they were a buggar to load, especially when you took one from your Gob & they were all wet with spit. They did have a ram rod. The Daisy was easy to load in comparison. Why did they call them Daisys?

When we would go the Show & shoot down the "Pipe" for a prize they would kick us out after a few shots, even if they were rigged. We would just compensate after the first shot. I liked those repeaters at the show. You know the ones that the bloke loaded a had full of round pellets & you shot at the ducks. They wouldn't let us stay there too long either.

I remember when I got to Kapooka & the first time on the range. We had to zero. I shot the pegs holding the target on the carrier. I got a big kick up the Clacker for that. Later a few of us were held back to clean up the Range. They let us have a Yippie shoot. We came back to the Barracks grinning like Cheshire Cats.

Jayb,

"It's a Daisy"
http://daisymuseum.com/html/timeline/1880.htm

Falke, quality but short production run. Note the advertisement, times have changed. Dads find time for the internet these days and the TV not so long ago either.

http://cinedux.com/falke-air-rifle.php

Hi there JAYB, gee mate you're testing my memory now? The Daisy A/R was an American product, and the brand mfg'd other outdoor recreational products as well. Probably the most enduring, most famous of the English A/R's is the BSA Meteor, both in .177 and .22 cal. The Germans seem to have the A/R industry pretty well tired up these days?

'Daisy', like the early Crosman, were described as BB guns, and were considered little more than a toy, except for those poor buggers who copped a BB in the eye or throat somewhere. As you'd be aware, the world of the 'boys airguns' have advanced considerably since we were kids. With several Olympic Disciplines using the humble A/R.

Speaking of Kapooka, I did my recruits there during summer months, and did it get hot! That Range, you literally cooked after spending the day thereon. Even down in the Butts, you were surrounded by hot concrete. I wasn't a bad shot as it turned out with the .303. The SLR hadn't entered service when I went through, '59. So I was somehow sequestered into one of the Bn. Rifle teams using the SMLE. We were supposed to shoot against the RAAF. So it was to be known as; RTB Kapooka Vs RAAF Apprentice Sqn. You'd recall the RAAF base was at Forest Hills,the other side of Wagga. They were the days eh! Nothing like the 'BullShip' that exists today.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, here we go again. Now the gun crazies, once more want to arm the children.

How about this one; Young girl learns to use an ozzie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGCKFzGAfQ0

Here are some random videos of typical gunnies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi4uDtpvl88

But there is good news;

More than 6400 firearms have been handed to police in NSW by gun crazies as the federal government's national gun amnesty reaches the half way mark.