Hill and Williams rifle

Hill and Williams rifle 

With thanks to John Bowkett for these pics. 

The Blue Book of Airguns says:

"The Hill and Williams Air rifle, in .22 cal., is a barrel-cocking, spring-piston design cocked by pushing forward a barrel latch at the breech and then pivoting the barrel downwards. British patent number 25222/'05 was issued to Arthur Henry Hill and Walter F. Williams on 16 July 1908 for the design. Hiils address was 28, Leyton Road, Handsworth, Staffordshire. Walter notes that the gun may not have been made by Hill and Williams until about 1908. Probably too complicated and expensive to compete with the Lincoln Jeffries design air rifles from BSA. Production ended in 1911. Apparently only about 200 guns were produced."

John says of this rifle: "I was 'obliged' to buy it despite it not fitting in my collection. I recognised it for its importance when I unearthed it locally and passed it on to someone who also appreciated what it was. He was a bit of a dealer so I guess it has ended up in a collection being enjoyed... It looked very much like a handmade prototype. Not heavily modified and based on a production action, Condition was excellent with some parts heat blued and a stock that looked like it started life on a shotgun. The cocking lever didnt fit in with the look of the rest of the rifle and may have been an old but not contemporary replacement."