My first and only Italian training rifle: BREDA Avill 0

[mawkie]

-I've been on the hunt for a German Haenel training air rifle for a couple of years now. Part of that search has me using the term "air rifle" online. It was while I was pouring over a search list of air rifles that I saw something interesting: the Italian arms manufacturer BREDA. Most here know them as manufacturers of M1 Garands for the Italian military in the post war years.
-Being extremely curious I started a search for more info which led me to the ONLY English language article on what was the BREDA Avill air rifle, authored by Frank Korn on www.vintageairgunsgallery.com. It seems that the Avill was built only as a training rifle for the Italian army in the years immediately following WW2, with no commercial sales. It appears that there were two versions: type M1 and 0. The differences being the M1 having and adjustable trigger and rear sight, along with a different stock. For some inexplicable reason the Italians scrapped them with very few surviving.
-Online bidding for the Avill 0 was very light so I threw an el-cheap-0 bid at it and a beautiful Ten-X shooting jacket I found in another lot. I was shocked to find I got both for a total UNDER the cost of two Jacksons. The auction house got them out PDQ and Fedex delivered them yesterday. I was so pleased to find that the Avill is still functional, putting out a loud, strong blast. Now to find some 4.5mm pellets!

 

[somd_mustangs]

That's kind of a plain-jane sleeper there... another Mawkie special

 

[joppaj]

Impressive bidding good Sir.

 

[mawkie]

This is what floors me. A period photo of these air rifles intentionally being left to rot.