Gat Guns....remember these?

[London Best]

16 minutes ago, 30-6 said:

1066, were cat slugs like a dome shape ? They were short with no waist as such.

I remember using those as well in my Gat.

I have a full box of those. White box.

[mattsccm]

A step up from spud guns!

Edited September 26, 2023 by mattsccm

[arjimlad]

Can I tell my Gat gun story?

I was in my second year at senior school when my friend told me he'd bought an air pistol. I had a Relum Rapide but I had never heard of a Gat.

He brought it round to plink with.

We stacked up some tin cans on my back garden "range" and were plugging away with it at about 7 yards to little effect. The stack was about nine tins, with the topmost tin being a little evaporated milk tin.

My Dad came out to see what we were up to.

He said he had owned a Gat gun as a lad & asked if he could have a go.

He loaded the pistol with a Bulldog pellet, threw it up in one hand...

One shot, and that little evap tin went flying off the top of the stack, leaving the rest of the tins standing firm. He passed the pistol back to us and went back inside as we both tried to pick our jaws up off the floor.

[Good shot?]

On 26/09/2023 at 17:51, London Best said:

I have a full box of those. White box.

I was talking to a mate only recently about cup shaped un waisted red plastic pellets that we used.

He is a bit,  ok a lot younger than me and had no knowledge of such.

could these be the same ones.

[London Best]

21 minutes ago, Good shot? said:

I was talking to a mate only recently about cup shaped un waisted red plastic pellets that we used.

He is a bit,  ok a lot younger than me and had no knowledge of such.

could these be the same ones.

No, my Cat Slugs are lead. I have never seen plastic ones. 
I think they were probably making Cat Slugs before plastic was invented!

[Good shot?]

I myself certainly pre date the widespread use of plastic , I think. 😏

Edited September 28, 2023 by Good shot?

[strimmer_13]

Those were probably Prometheus pellets, came in little tubs of about 75 or 100. Zinc heads. Amazing penetration, useless accuracy, so ideal for a gat though they were/are expensive 

[1066]

On 26/09/2023 at 17:34, 30-6 said:

1066, were cat slugs like a dome shape ? They were short with no waist as such.

I remember using those as well in my Gat.

Yes, exactly that. Lead cup/dome shaped. Being very low powered and smooth bored, the pop-out pistols worked better with them than the considerably more expensive "Beatall" waisted pellets.

The bonus point with the Cat slugs (Lanes) is that they were light and a very loose fit - so much so that some batches would actually slide right through barrel and fall out when loaded. This was easily remedied by lightly twisting the skirt of the slug around the rear sight, so making a small flange on the skirt. Worked perfectly and out performed the expensive pellets in every way. This was in the mid 1950's, no plastic pellets about then.

A quick google has just bought this up - brings back the memories.
 

[ditchman]

52 minutes ago, 1066 said:

Yes, exactly that. Lead cup/dome shaped. Being very low powered and smooth bored, the pop-out pistols worked better with them than the considerably more expensive "Beatall" waisted pellets.

The bonus point with the Cat slugs (Lanes) is that they were light and a very loose fit - so much so that some batches would actually slide right through barrel and fall out when loaded. This was easily remedied by lightly twisting the skirt of the slug around the rear sight, so making a small flange on the skirt. Worked perfectly and out performed the expensive pellets in every way. This was in the mid 1950's, no plastic pellets about then.

A quick google has just bought this up - brings back the memories.
 

i notice they have a very thin skirt................made to act like a mini ball perhaps ?

[1066]

6 minutes ago, ditchman said:

i notice they have a very thin skirt................made to act like a mini ball perhaps ?

They would, in theory. although I doubt that the pop-out pistols had enough power to do any skirt expanding. I would think they were that shape because they were very cheap to produce by being stamped out of a lead sheet with a very simple die - much easier/ than producing a waisted pellet I would think.

[ditchman]

16 minutes ago, 1066 said:

They would, in theory. although I doubt that the pop-out pistols had enough power to do any skirt expanding. I would think they were that shape because they were very cheap to produce by being stamped out of a lead sheet with a very simple die - much easier/ than producing a waisted pellet I would think.

ever tried them in a good quality air rifle..?

[1066]

No unfortunately not although it would be an interesting experiment. Good quality airguns that were about at that time were the BSA Cadet and maybe the "Big boys" had the odd Airsporter or Webley Mk3, well out of my price/age range at the time.
I progressed from the pop-out pistol to a Diana Mod 15 - a rifle but looked more like a glorified popgun, again smooth bore but a big jump up from the pistol.

I've since used non waisted slugs (not the old Cat slugs)in various other better quality airguns, Sheridan .20's etc. but never sold on their accuracy over a good quality waisted pellet.

In the interest of scientific research I found my old pistol and gave it ago for the fist time in maybe 20 years.
Using wadcutter target pellets I was able to hit a drink can 2 out of 3 at 6 yards.
 

 

[hyflier]

My word an accurate one 😲, good shooting 👍

 

Were the Cat slugs so called because they were used to ping at cats "trespassing" into a garden for a 'tom tit' amongst the vegetable patch or in my case, a decent heap out on my dog's grave? 

[1066]

Yes, indeed, that is what the illustration on the box depicted.
Having had a quick google around I had no idea there were so many other slug types around at the time.
These are the three packets of "Cat" slugs I remember. 100,200 and 500 box. 
I've just grabbed this image from here. Eddie’s pellet tins, boxes collection | Pellet Tins, Boxes etc. | Vintage Airguns Gallery Forum
 

[1066]

If you enjoy a laugh read this review of the Diana Mod 2 pop-out pistol.

"Superb accuracy"  "Capable of shooting tight groups at 15 yards"

Diana Mod 2 Pop Out Pistol. - MK Guns

[hyflier]

Thank you for the photo, 1066 and I'll have look at that review in a minute.

With no shame at all, I'm going to ask....Does anyone have the fly swatter device that came with the Gat Gun, and could it be for sale? I've looked everywhere and even enquired on Pigeon watch before. 😃😃😃

[London Best]

21 hours ago, 1066 said:

If you enjoy a laugh read this review of the Diana Mod 2 pop-out pistol.

"Superb accuracy"  "Capable of shooting tight groups at 15 yards"

Diana Mod 2 Pop Out Pistol. - MK Guns

Written by somebody who hadn’t the slightest idea what he was talking about!

[hyflier]

3 hours ago, London Best said:

Written by somebody who hadn’t the slightest idea what he was talking about!

I thought that, "a break barrel pop out pistol?" 😂

[Chaz25]

Silly toy! if you want to get serious you need a MOD1 rifle! I use mine for bell target in the back garden, the game is simple if you ring the bell you get a cider...... I have no idear what the cider of victory taste's like.

Ho as a side note I have owned the gun for some years.....

[hyflier]

My quest is at an end 😃😃😃😃😃, I found the Gat Gun fly swatter on Ebay, I have messaged the seller, who makes these things asking for a link. When he sends it I will post it here, so if you'e struggling for that obscure Christmas present for your Wife, (I bought mine a Lathe for Easter one year) why not pop one of these in His/Her stocking. If they appear ungrateful, you can always use it yourself 😉

[hyflier]

Sorry it's Ebay, but here's the link:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134773370993

Enjoy, my fellow intrepid Gat Gun fans 😄

[redial]

I would still miss.

[snarepeg]

On 24/09/2023 at 15:12, strimmer_13 said:

Aim 2ft low I always found 

And about 8 o clock😊

[hyflier]

On 19/10/2023 at 18:50, redial said:

I would still miss.

So did I, at a huge Queen wasp 😞

[shaun4860]

I must have been posh because I had a Diana SP50 pop out pistol.

https://mkguns.co.uk/diana-sp50-pop-out-pistol-2/