Hi All
Today I visited and old collector. Amongst other iteresting items I had the chance too compare two Gecardo 35 rifles.
The first one was a 1967 model in an honest 85% condition. This rifle was fairly hefty I I thought it had good feel and it shot well.
It had pistol grip checkering and although a good rifle looked slightly garish with the stock shape and colour (light, unstained I think, but dark by modern standards if you know what I mean)
Then he bought out another Gecardo 35. This one had a serarted alluminuim trigger, and when held to the shoulder and fired, had a totally different feel to the first rifle.
This rifle felt like it was MUCH more solid, absolutely no vibribration, and when fired a some long range (say 20mtrs)at plastic plastic bottle caps was in a different league to the first rifle. I have never fired a Beeman R7 rifle but some on the net say they are hard to miss with, so was this rifle - great trigger, probably poor velocity, completely original internals and went off with a solid thud. Two Indian minors fell straight over (one head, one neck with Meisterwhatevers.
I could not find a date one the second rifle, but I believe that it was manufactured much earlier than the first rifle. Again this one was an honest 80% rifle - points taken off for the slightly perished rubber like but plate, some SLIGHT bluing lightness around the end of the reciever and a small mark on the stock. But the build quality seemed much much better, event the worn bluing in a way seemed better than the 1967 rifle. This rifle also had no scope rails either. The stock looked much nicer and softer shaped too.
Anyone have any ideas on the age of this one? I think the Aluminium trigger may give some indication to the age. The trigger feel by the way was great.

They made some great rifles once, the newer ones just don't feel the same.
BTW a couple other goodies to. Heaneels??, Gecardo 25 and 50 and others mostly old to very old and better still untampered with mostly.
Pepomint

A

The solid metal trigger was used up until about 1963 or 64. I have a model 35 and two model 50's with this trigger. The whole line was consolidated to reduce manufacturing costs at about that time.

All three of these guns have early target sights as well. The 50's are marked "Diana" while the 35 is a .22 caliber with "Peerless" markings.