A bunch of pics on the LAISAR 12.
This is a temporary page created following the interest in the LAISAR 12. Click on the images below for a larger image.
This LAISAR 12 was hand made in 1987 by an engineer called John Brown. He was making a batch of 6 in the first run (and probably the only run that was made) and according to John this is the first of the batch. Graham Bluck was also an owner of a LAISAR 12 and he went on to design the Parker Hale Dragon.
John had made a prototype and during 1978 took it to Webley to show them. Unfortunately someone pressed the valve priming button and due to the way the prototype was made there was no easy way to allow air into the chamber. This was resolved on mine by lengthening the slot in the chamber of the linkage and this allows air in at full stroke should someone press the valve button before opening the lever.
LAISAR 12 stands for Light Accurate Ingeniously Simple Air Rifle and the 12 represented the muzzle energy in ftlbs.
Those with long memories may recall seeing this in the airgun mags, in late 1987 Air Gunner and an early 1988 AirGun World.
Note the priming button in front of the trigger. Air is drawn in through the barrel and valve so this must not be pressed until the lever has been opened.
Cocking lever partly open. There is no catch to keep it closed, just an over center action. You can prime the valve at this stage and close the lever for a low powered shot.
Note the catch keeping the lever in "one piece".
The catch is just about to be released.
The catch is released and the lever start pivoting around its secondary pivot point.
The lever fully open.
Note that the front of the piston is at the end of the cylinder. At this point the charging button in front of the trigger is engaged.
The lever has been pivoted around its secondary pivot and the catch has just about re-engaged. Note the piston has moved most of the visible length - approx 17cm. No effort is required to compress the air at this stage and it's literally a flick of the wrist.
The lever is then closed until it flips over center. This part of the charging stroke causes the piston to travel another 12cm approx. There is no real effort required until the lever is about 40 degrees from the closed position. Even then its a very smooth action and the leverage advantage means that it's far easier to cock than say a Parker Hale Dragon.
The business end.