I have a very good friend, named Tony. Funny, he's my size, age, was at the 64 World's Fair when I was, has always been interested in older classic cars, has collected custom airguns, and his health altered everything about his life. We joke about being twins, seperated at birth.

Tony has owned some really fine airguns, for a long time. They've come, and gone, and some remain. Well, he decided I should see a couple of them. Today, I got a box from the Post Office, around 4:30 pm.



Inside the box, inside the pistol case ... was a 50 caliber airgun, made by John Bowkett. Bowkett is an extremely talented craftsman, who lives in England. I'll learn more about the exact pistol here. But - I suspect it's at least 20 years old.

I've had a really lousy week for pain. Chronic lower back pain, shoulder, headaches, can't sleep ... just a mess. But, for whatever reason ... this afternoon, I had felt improved, and had worked well. When the pistol came, it was a bright spot that needed to be celebrated. I gathered a couple of things. Already had the War Wagon still hooked to the truck. I left for the range about 5:15. By 6:15, I'd had fun ... and was closing up to come home. It had started getting colder, and was getting thru. In that single hour, I had a really fine time ... with this extremely fine pistol.



It shoots a 50 caliber ball. Tony had provided a nice box full. I didn't have any specs. on the gun, so I did some careful educated guess work, and testing. I test fired a few lower psi rounds. Made a judgement, and then worked out it's plateau. This is what it liked.

It's extremely loud. Sounds fierce. Shoots very smooth. Operates well. Feels very nice in the hand.



I had the chronograph in the truck. That allowed me to know what was happening with the psi curve. As you see, the gun is extremely well regulated. Very close figures over a thousand psi drop.



I set up a couple of bags, and fired a couple of groups. The gun has nice sights, which Mr. Bowkett made with the gun. They were easy to use.



My first five ball group at 20 yards.

I determined that the rear sight should go a bit left, for me. I looked at it, and there was a ghost of a screw scuff mark to indicate that it had been to the left before. I moved it to that location.



And then I fired off another 5 ball group. 3 of which cut the same hole. I'm sure the other two reflect more on the ball, than the gun.

What a sweet pistol. Very enjoyable to see someone else's work. I'll probably post some other pics. This was just quick - for fun. Can't imagine I got so much done in an hour!

Gary

Hello Gary,

I'm glad to know that you are feeling better.

It's nice to see you shooting other craftman work and acknowledging it's qualities. Good for you!

Hey, those are nice groups for a pistol and using open sights.

How was the recoil?

Julio

Hello Julio,

It did kick up off the bag some. It also had a recoil to it, when hand held. It was very fun to shoot.

The numbers work out to about 65-70 foot pounds.

I do enjoy seeing other work. I very rarely get a chance to be around any though. One of the reasons I like to see things other folks share here.

Thanks ...

Gary

Gary,

Do you know what the bore size is - .495?

How was the trigger?

Lon

Hello Lon,

Don't know the exact size. Ball in a bag, in a box. I didn't check. IIRC, I've never read of Mr. Bowkett making barrels. I could be wrong, but I believe I've read the opposite.

Trigger was fine. Had what the trigger folk would call, travel. I had no trouble shooting it well.

I liked the gun very much.

One of my early pcs., was a 45 pistol, that shot right around 400 fps. I really liked that. Enjoyed shooting it. Made it for a customer. Was a simplier gun. I found though, that most interests ran more to the fire breathing brackets. I'd still be making some simplier guns, and more of them, if I thought people would enjoy them. This fine Bowkett was made in an era when big bore anything were scarce as gold laying hens. It's a really nice pc. It's a simple pc. so far as bolt retention, use of brass, and jointery. Built nicely for that power bracket. If you endevour to ramp it up 4 fold, everything changes, and you can't build to this model any longer. Which is sort of a loss, because it's highly desirable, and I take nothing away from it. But, as a builder ... you have to answer for why you aren't pushing the limits with each build. A lot of things get left behind. Does that make sense? Attempt is to praise this artifact, and explain why people aren't asking for this power/caliber bracket of pistol now.

I'll add a few pics later today. If you ever have a chance to add something like this, to your collection, do so.

Gary

Gary,

Your Victory is where my tastes in big bore air pistols lie, Hoss for biggest bore.

That looks like a nice gun, but just a more refined DAQ pistol IMO. I scanned some Bowkett photos for Hawley years ago and still have the pictures, that example is typical Bowkett. We all know about Bowkett but his work doesn't veer far from the herd.

Like you stated, way ahead of its time but now we've got you.

Lon

More Bowkett:







Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2011 04:56PM by Bigbore.

Bigbore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gary,
>
> Your Victory is where my tastes in big bore air
> pistols lie, Hoss for biggest bore.
>
> That looks like a nice gun, but just a more
> refined DAQ pistol IMO. I scanned some Bowkett
> photos for Hawley years ago and still have the
> pictures, that example is typical Bowkett. We all
> know about Bowkett but his work doesn't veer far
> from the herd.
>
> Like you stated, way ahead of its time but now
> we've got you.
>
> Lon
>
> More Bowkett:


>
>
>
>

They are all Stalker Rifles products in your piccies. The top two are based on Daystates and the rest are Bowkett made one-off airgun actions that Adrian Hartley fitted into his finished stocks. Not really pukka Bowkett in my experience

When I spoke to Bowkett he said that he had made several pistols and rifles in the 1980s using polygroove brass liners inside steel tube. The fifty calibre ones used a tight fitting .50" ball for best accuracy anything smaller gave fliers as you found out. He said that he couldn't get a .50" H&N ball and had someone cast them from a Lee mold. I remember shooting a little carbine in .50" that shot extremely accurately using a heavy slug dropped from a R.E.A.L. mold. That of course was of a much higher power. These were all made for fun shooting he said. He wasn't interested in all out power with them. 400 or so fps with 5 or 6 shots was good for plinking and target work on the 25 yard pistol butt. His more powerful creations were a different kettle of fish. Gary, when you get chance, he advised trying a full.50" ball in soft lead for best results. - Vic.

Hello Vic.

The idea of a brass liner has always seemed fine to me. I've seen many antique air canes which had rifled brass sub-caliber inserts that would thread inside their larger smooth bore barrels. With soft lead, brass is gonna be plenty durable. I made some early barrels in 25, from some aluminum bronze tubing I came across. That is, of course, pretty tuff stuff though. I didn't even know what it was at the time. Since then, I've used various alloys. Don't currently make a brass unit ... but would have nothing against it. Mostly, the smaller calibers are Chrome Moly ... which is way overkill ... it's just the correct size. Others are seamless hydraulic tubing.

As I hope I made clear, everything doesn't have to be a full power monster. As well, I often shoot my guns at less than their total possible output. It's just not always required.

I just took the pistol for a shoot, on a whim. My friend (the owner of the pistol) just sent it along to me, on a whim. There was never any intention other than to enjoy it.

I have another pc., from another builder, sent along by the same friend. Can't even recall the builder's name at present. I'll get to it.



Gary

barnespneumatic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello Vic.
>
> The idea of a brass liner has always seemed fine
> to me. I've seen many antique air canes which had
> rifled brass sub-caliber inserts that would thread
> inside their larger smooth bore barrels. With
> soft lead, brass is gonna be plenty durable. I
> made some early barrels in 25, from some aluminum
> bronze tubing I came across. That is, of course,
> pretty tuff stuff though. I didn't even know what
> it was at the time. Since then, I've used various
> alloys. Don't currently make a brass unit ... but
> would have nothing against it. Mostly, the
> smaller calibers are Chrome Moly ... which is way
> overkill ... it's just the correct size. Others
> are seamless hydraulic tubing.
>
> As I hope I made clear, everything doesn't have to
> be a full power monster. As well, I often shoot
> my guns at less than their total possible output.
> It's just not always required.
>
> I just took the pistol for a shoot, on a whim. My
> friend (the owner of the pistol) just sent it
> along to me, on a whim. There was never any
> intention other than to enjoy it.
>
> I have another pc., from another builder, sent
> along by the same friend. Can't even recall the
> builder's name at present. I'll get to it.
>
>
>
> Gary


I believe Bowkett liked to use polygroove brass liners because he was also a big fan and collector of antique butt and ball reservoir air rifles, pistols and of course the old aircanes, I only mentioned about the ball size being a full .50 because that is what JB asked me to pass on so that whover is shooting it now gets the best out of it and enjoys it to the full. As a former powder pistol shooter myself I know how frustrating fliers can be, Especially if you are sure that you are doing your bit. Hehehehe. - Vic

Wow! a bunch of quality info contained in this topic. Reading all this had been an educational experience for me.

More Pics ...

Barrel is microgroove. Might be a liner inside a tube, to my eye - .495 ball Lon.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2011 05:37PM by barnespneumatic.

Wow . . . I don't think I have *ever* seen you shoot an airgun that was built by someone else. I remember one time Jerry brought his Monsoon to the range and you recoiled like it was the devil in rifle form.

Looks like fun . . . man, I need to get out and shoot!

-- Jim

Jim,

Your memory is embellishing stuff. You're getting older Jim .....

I distinctly remember shooting that Monsoon. It went Pft, pft, pft, pft, pft, pft ... if I recall.



Gary

Actually, IIRC, I said "Gary, would you like to shoot the Monsoon?" and the reply was, "Sure, set it out there at about 50 yards."

Nice pistol Gary, and nice to see a review of it from you! One great tradesman complimenting another, something too rare in the airgun field....
Cheers
Neil

What a lovely and clasic pistol Garry,That string of shots is remarkably flat and with a total of over 400 fpe from what appears to be about 4 od cubic inch's of air. Thanks for sharing. Danny.

A simpler product from a simpler time, when velocities starting with a 4 didin't mean that something is wrong with the gun.

Is the hex-head machine screw the only bolt retention?

Hello Sean,

Yes. The head of the hex screw is the locking lug, and only bolt retention. Along the same vein, the entire top of the gun is mounted with one 10-32 machine screw. Therefore, when it fires, that screw (in tension) is the sole structural member. That's why I mentioned that this model, would not "scale up". Although, it's been done many, many times. Taking something that works on one scale, and just making it bigger ... isn't the way I engineer. (Not saying Bowkett does either ... I don't know how his bigger guns were made).

Goes back to my often repeated "hot rod guns" theme. You can't safely take a 200 fpe gun, and hotrod it to 500 or 600 fpe, without putting something or someone in jeapordy.

Gary

I see. One of the reasons why the "sumatra" type Phillipines/garage shop rifles have never appealed to me. While you might collect many airguns in a lifetime, you only get one face, and one set of eyeballs.