Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
Another early British spring powered air pistol the Titan Series 7.
The Titan series of air pistols span a period ca. 1916-1926 and show several stages of modification. To date there are 7 known variants or possibly 8 if you include a long barrel version of the 4th series. All were manufactured by Frank Clarke , Whitall Street, Birmingham although sub-contractors may have been used at some stage. In particular Accles & Shelvoke have been quoted as producers of some of the Titans but this is unsubstantiated . Also Clyde Bell a company trading in Glasgow claimed the long barrel version of the 4th series was “manufactured entirely in our own Works”. This particular version may have been made by them under licence from Frank Clarke. The first two versions differed significantly from the others and are extremely rare.
The other versions were made sometimes almost simultaneously right up to around 1926. The 3rd to 6th pistols were aimed at the lower end of the market and consequently were not of very high quality. This changed with the introduction of the 7th series featured here which was of a much higher standard and had a distinctly streamlined appearance. You will see from the pictures that the pistol had a definite similarity to the famous Webley over barrel cocking design which appeared around 1924 and formed the standard by which all others were judged. Frank Clarke had a strong involvement with Webley and was in fact paid a royalty from every Webley pistol sold recognising his contribution to the design.
The first three versions of the pistol are the rarest with 4th & 7th series being less common than the 5th or 6th series pistols. The main difference from the Webley design is the rather crude cocking method in which the piston is pushed in by a rod at the breech end which can then be pulled out and folded down in line with grip once the pellet had been loaded. The 7th series pistol also had an ingenious grip safety which meant the pistol could not be fired until pressure on the grip was sufficient to release safety mechanism.
The pistol was made in .177 only and rarely as with my example with a rifled barrel. Although it is a compact pistol and pleasant to shoot it is not nearly as sophisticated as the Webley and consequently very few must have ever been made and sold.
PISTOL READY TO COCK
COCKING ROD FOLDED OUT READY TO COMPRESS PISTON
COCKING ROD MOVED SIDEWAYS TO INSERT PELLET BEFORE FOLDING DOWN READY TO SHOOT.
Regards
Brian
The Titan series of air pistols span a period ca. 1916-1926 and show several stages of modification. To date there are 7 known variants or possibly 8 if you include a long barrel version of the 4th series. All were manufactured by Frank Clarke , Whitall Street, Birmingham although sub-contractors may have been used at some stage. In particular Accles & Shelvoke have been quoted as producers of some of the Titans but this is unsubstantiated . Also Clyde Bell a company trading in Glasgow claimed the long barrel version of the 4th series was “manufactured entirely in our own Works”. This particular version may have been made by them under licence from Frank Clarke. The first two versions differed significantly from the others and are extremely rare.
The other versions were made sometimes almost simultaneously right up to around 1926. The 3rd to 6th pistols were aimed at the lower end of the market and consequently were not of very high quality. This changed with the introduction of the 7th series featured here which was of a much higher standard and had a distinctly streamlined appearance. You will see from the pictures that the pistol had a definite similarity to the famous Webley over barrel cocking design which appeared around 1924 and formed the standard by which all others were judged. Frank Clarke had a strong involvement with Webley and was in fact paid a royalty from every Webley pistol sold recognising his contribution to the design.
The first three versions of the pistol are the rarest with 4th & 7th series being less common than the 5th or 6th series pistols. The main difference from the Webley design is the rather crude cocking method in which the piston is pushed in by a rod at the breech end which can then be pulled out and folded down in line with grip once the pellet had been loaded. The 7th series pistol also had an ingenious grip safety which meant the pistol could not be fired until pressure on the grip was sufficient to release safety mechanism.
The pistol was made in .177 only and rarely as with my example with a rifled barrel. Although it is a compact pistol and pleasant to shoot it is not nearly as sophisticated as the Webley and consequently very few must have ever been made and sold.
PISTOL READY TO COCK
COCKING ROD FOLDED OUT READY TO COMPRESS PISTON
COCKING ROD MOVED SIDEWAYS TO INSERT PELLET BEFORE FOLDING DOWN READY TO SHOOT.
Regards
Brian
Re: Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
Another excellent and informative post.
If I may ask, where did/do you get such pistols from?
Kind regards,
Phil
If I may ask, where did/do you get such pistols from?
Kind regards,
Phil
M0KPH
I now have so many airguns I've had to make a list, which is >>HERE<<
>>North Manchester Target Club<<
I now have so many airguns I've had to make a list, which is >>HERE<<
>>North Manchester Target Club<<
Re: Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
This has been burning a hole in my thought process too!pmh wrote:Another excellent and informative post.
If I may ask, where did/do you get such pistols from?
Kind regards,
Phil
graham.
I’m going off to go find myself. If I’m not back by the time I return, keep me here.
https://tamesidepistol.club/
I’m going off to go find myself. If I’m not back by the time I return, keep me here.
https://tamesidepistol.club/
Re: Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
Hello Phil & Graham,
Glad you found the posts interesting. I turned to collecting old BSA & Webley air rifles after the 1995 breech loading pistol ban although I still shoot reproduction muzzle loading revolvers. As pistols take up much less room, I initially confined myself to collecting good examples of the Webley range starting with the Mk1 from 1924 up to the A series Premier from the mid 60s. I'm not a great fan of the later alloy Typhoon, Hurricane & Tempest so thought I had completed my collection at that point. As I'm sure you are aware that's not really how collecting works and I diversified into finding examples of other early British spring powered air pistols to compare with the Webleys. I have mainly picked up the rarer pistols from Arms Fairs, Auctions, magazine advertisements and other private collectors. Researching and chasing some of these pistols has been almost as interesting and rewarding as actually owning them.
I will complete the non Webley related posts with a review of the last three non Webley pistols in my collection all of which came close to matching the Webley design these being the A.A, Brown & Sons "Abasmajor" , Accles & Shelvoke "Ackvoke" and the "Warrior" from Frank Clarke.
Do you think it would be worthwhile following up with some pictures and order of the Webley range maybe with fewer words as most people are probably more familiar with these pistols ? I do a have a couple of nice cased examples and a few that came with their original boxes with accessories.
As a matter of interest I use the FAS 604 pistol I bought back in 1995 for 10 metre competition shooting which is the nearest I will get to owning anything other than a springer.
Regards
Brian
Glad you found the posts interesting. I turned to collecting old BSA & Webley air rifles after the 1995 breech loading pistol ban although I still shoot reproduction muzzle loading revolvers. As pistols take up much less room, I initially confined myself to collecting good examples of the Webley range starting with the Mk1 from 1924 up to the A series Premier from the mid 60s. I'm not a great fan of the later alloy Typhoon, Hurricane & Tempest so thought I had completed my collection at that point. As I'm sure you are aware that's not really how collecting works and I diversified into finding examples of other early British spring powered air pistols to compare with the Webleys. I have mainly picked up the rarer pistols from Arms Fairs, Auctions, magazine advertisements and other private collectors. Researching and chasing some of these pistols has been almost as interesting and rewarding as actually owning them.
I will complete the non Webley related posts with a review of the last three non Webley pistols in my collection all of which came close to matching the Webley design these being the A.A, Brown & Sons "Abasmajor" , Accles & Shelvoke "Ackvoke" and the "Warrior" from Frank Clarke.
Do you think it would be worthwhile following up with some pictures and order of the Webley range maybe with fewer words as most people are probably more familiar with these pistols ? I do a have a couple of nice cased examples and a few that came with their original boxes with accessories.
As a matter of interest I use the FAS 604 pistol I bought back in 1995 for 10 metre competition shooting which is the nearest I will get to owning anything other than a springer.
Regards
Brian
Last edited by Certus on Tue May 21, 2013 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
Thanks for that Brian, very interesting.
A follow up would be most welcome. Leonardj had posted some excellent threads on the Walther pistols, showing variations, etc, and something similar on the Webleys would be most welcome.
Kind regards,
Phil
A follow up would be most welcome. Leonardj had posted some excellent threads on the Walther pistols, showing variations, etc, and something similar on the Webleys would be most welcome.
Kind regards,
Phil
M0KPH
I now have so many airguns I've had to make a list, which is >>HERE<<
>>North Manchester Target Club<<
I now have so many airguns I've had to make a list, which is >>HERE<<
>>North Manchester Target Club<<
Re: Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
Hi Phil,
OK thanks for that. I must take a look at the Walther posts though goodness knows where it will lead if I get into German air guns.
Regards
Brian
OK thanks for that. I must take a look at the Walther posts though goodness knows where it will lead if I get into German air guns.
Regards
Brian
Re: Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
Don't mention the War!Certus wrote:Hi Phil,
OK thanks for that. I must take a look at the Walther posts though goodness knows where it will lead if I get into German air guns.
Regards
Brian
graham.
I’m going off to go find myself. If I’m not back by the time I return, keep me here.
https://tamesidepistol.club/
I’m going off to go find myself. If I’m not back by the time I return, keep me here.
https://tamesidepistol.club/
Re: Titan Series 7 Air Pistol
brian, bring on the webleys. i am looking forward to seeing them very much indeed.
andy
andy