Theobens Theobens Theobens, the hunt continues.

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RM100GUY

RM100GUY

Member
Jun 22, 2018
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Ceder Key Florida USA
I've been searching high and low for quility Theobens for some years now and found two in two days to add to my modest collection...they are difficult to find and not cheap when and if one is located. I stumbled on to an early model Sirocco Deluxe .22 yesterday and an Evolution .177 walnut stock example today...I'm blessed to now have five gasram Theobens...all serviced by David Slade reciently, I have located quit a few Theobens through networking but almost no one will part with them, and by some chance if a deal is made a "right of first refusal" is usually included in the deal. My search will continue...gives me something to do in my retirement. Collection includes Two SLR98's, a .22, and a.177, a .20 cal Crusader, the Evolution .177 I got today and a Sirocco Deluxe .22 I found yesterday. I have no favorites I like them all.
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Your inbox is about to fill up with others on the same hunt we have been on. 

Absolutely stunning collection!

That is as good as it gets right there my friend.

I have had an absolute blast this past year or so speaking with and learning from you and others who have so much history and knowledge in these fine objects of mechanized joy.
 
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Nice to see you found a Sirocco D. Maybe the hardest Theo to find here in the states. I'm making a proper custom steel trigger guard for mine. On standstill I've been so busy this year. And I'm working on (or not working on lately) some other projects at the same time. Rebuilding or repairing prewar BSA's is a constant. Anyway, making that trigger guard has been on my to do list for over 30 years! But at least now it's begun. Usually my workload decreases over the winter.

The Sirocco D was practically hand made. FYI, I sent a copy of the factory service bulletin to Danny Garvin and he posted it on Vintage Airgun Gallery.

This is 5 shots fired at an existing hole at 25 yd with 177 Superdomes that happened to be laying on my workbench. With a scope more suited to field use. It's easy to shoot. Shoots offhand very well. My favorite "springer" because I like it and it isn't overweight. Who wants to carry a heavy gun? I don't. I carried mine a lot.

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EMrider, to be honest I haven't shot these Theobens much at all, the SLR .177 thumbhole was at 13-14fpe when I got it in '16 and had just been serviced, it was quite snappy, the gun has since been bumped down to 12fpe but I haven't shot it since, the .177 Evo, I shot one pellet, I was more interested in talking the guy into selling it than shooting it, he told me on more than one occasion how well it shot at 12fp's. The SLR sporter, Crusader, Sirocco are all freshly serviced and have not shot by me only test fired. I am in the process of moving and don't have a place to shoot, any Theobens I have will not be set at max rated power, I've seen too many examples of damage to Theobens like these from over power/mis use...not on my watch!
 
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What serial # is your Sirocco? Mine .177 is TB4412. I have a 2-7x32 Tasco Japan airgun scope possibly made by Hakko for mine (not mounted). That's the scope Theoben recommended at the time. I believe you could buy that rifle/ scope combo in UK. Maybe here too. I bought mine from ARS in New York in 1988 for $500.

Max power is 20-22 ft lb. I think I have mine at 17-18.

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Wow, that's an early one. Nice. Rings are silver soldered on. Mine has the later style soldered on bases with a screw holding the rings to them. I bought the 11mm dovetail adapter but never used it. Yours would not have the floating inertia piston unless it was upgraded and I don't think they had the Zephyr crown seal yet. But you do have the Webley Omega type trigger. The first ones had BSA Meteor triggers and cocking link. With Webley barrels. I don't know when they changed to Anshutz barrels. They still used the Meteor cocking link.I still have the original box and order sheet as well as service instructions.

Edit: I looked again. You have the BSA trigger. Now I think I know who the last owner was.

Edit: Yep same serial# . I corresponded with him before.



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EMrider, to be honest I haven't shot these Theobens much at all, the SLR .177 thumbhole was at 13-14fpe when I got it in '16 and had just been serviced, it was quite snappy, the gun has since been bumped down to 12fpe but I haven't shot it since, the .177 Evo, I shot one pellet, I was more interested in talking the guy into selling it than shooting it, he told me on more than one occasion how well it shot at 12fp's. The SLR sporter, Crusader, Sirocco are all freshly serviced and have not shot by me only test fired. I am in the process of moving and don't have a place to shoot, any Theobens I have will not be set at max rated power, I've seen too many examples of damage to Theobens like these from over power/mis use...not on my watch!
Click to expand...

Seems like a wise way to proceed. Over powered spring guns are generally less accurate and less enjoyable to shoot. 12fpe is the sweet spot IMHO.
R
 
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Tune all of my break barrels to 12 ft lb? BORING! My .25 Tomahawk at 12 ft lb would be such a dog. 

See the group I posted above I just shot last month with my Sirocco at 17 ft lb @ 25 yds. Not a hard gun to shoot and weighs 7 1/2 lbs. A result of the inertia piston? IDK

The next week my neighbor tried shooting a group. When he handed the gun back I fired one shot at a stray hole as my POI.Totally relaxed yet focused. At first I wondered could I have missed the whole target? No, I drilled that same hole at 25yds.He was impressed. So was I! He has an HW97. Lucky shot? Maybe but that Sirocco makes a lot of "lucky" shots
 
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