You are correct those where the days everthing seemed to be exciting and interestingI would say in terms of the modern pre-charged air rifle (and lets not forget the single stroke pneumatics as well) the period from roughly 1980 to 2000 was pretty much a golden era of design and development of factory 'production' models (I specify production as I don't want to take away credit from the smaller artisan manufacturers who were making guns on a bespoke scale e.g. ISP / Ripley / Bowkett / Mick Dawes and others).
In terms of the Rapid, I did have a Rapid 17 over twenty years ago, it was a nice rifle very capable and accurate, however I never really got into them personally, but that is a reflection of my preferences not any issue with the rifle itself.
Loading portI would get on and sort it.
As to originality, I think it has already been modified, the spring fitted on the bolt shaft is not original, also it looks like the loading port has been opened up as well.
Daystate did an open channel loading aperture instead of the fiddly right hand side port as standard later in the run of the Mk1, but those ones didn't have the dovetail cut for a rear sight in front of the loading port that I can see on your rifle.
I do like the early 'large' schnabel target stock on it.
Like cars-modern guns are “style-over-substance”.You are correct those where the days everthing seemed to be exciting and interestingnow its just more of the same with more features than anyone really needs just for market share.
rapids/raw should have a cylinder option(other than the tm1000) they handle so much nicer,i have a impact gsx revolution they really are great
Loading port
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Someone looks to have butchered the back end too but for what I paid I can live with it.
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It came with a story that it apparently was a first prize in a very early HFT comp in someone's rather large back garden.
How true that is I don't know but there's no way of proving it, it came from an rfds private stash and 2-3 times a year he mentions about buying it back.
I fitted a period FT scope (Tasco 8-40x56 Custom Shop) on the 2000 and gave it a trip to the club today - the wind was playing the arse, but when I got the measure of it I was hitting the targets very nicely.
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AbsolutelyNo.
All of mine are spotless inside and out, plus these are no lightweight thin walled tubes.
Also the guns run relatively low pressures, the non-regulated rifles don't go above 150 Bar, the regulated 2000 can run up to around 180 Bar.
Based on several threads on here I would have more concern about their bottle guns, given the failures of the boss where the bottle screws to the action.
Now 1.5x test cylinders are common (and scare me senseless given I work with extreme pressure stuff)
Daystate used 4-1 and sometimes 6-1 as a margin.
Very little beats quality steel for a rifle cylinder (especially given I paid less for my .338 Lapua magnum than some PCP’s cost)
As the weather was nice when I got home from work I decided to get some pictures of the 2000 and the other two Daystate's I didn't have pictures of.
The 2000:
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The 2000 is a bit different to the other Daystate's, as it is more of a 'straight pull' action, the button on the right side of the breechblock releases the bolt for cocking and hold it locked on closure.
Huntsman FTR (Mk1) / CS1000 stock / Zeiler 6-24x44:
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Huntsman Mk2 / Leslie Hewett 3-9x40:
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You have a lot of very nice guns and certainly some of the best ever made by Daystate.
I know what I'd rather have!Thanks.
The Daystate's that I currently own have altogether cost me about the same as one brand new Black Wolf - and I bet they will long outlast the more modern offering.
I know what I'd rather have!
Let me think.............
I bet it isn't the modern offering.![]()