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What kind of gun is this?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

Markusfugit

Well-Known Member
Mar 6, 2011
56
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I was given this gun by a young Tico friend asking me to resurrect it to functionality. I can't figure out what kind of gun it is. It has "Francis" in raised lettering on the handle above the trigger on the left side, and it is made in Italy. It is actually holding air, but none of my pumps (Mares, Cressi, Omer, or Nemrod) will fit the thread to pump it up. The thread seems to be a 16 X 1.5.
2.jpg
 
Looks rather similar to the Tigullio guns from Italy. This gun is a clone of a "Sten" and you can see where one version of it had a power regulator gate, but blanked off in the above example which uses an alternate handle molding. Manufacturers often swap stickers and molded parts colors over the years to freshen their guns up.
tigullio sten clone.jpg
 
There are a few guns still available in new condition. https://www.ebay.it/itm/Fucile-pesc...m-tigullio-cressi-mares-OFFERTA-/153436788790
s-l1600.jpg

The SABRE series of oil-and-air rifles, which have been in production for many years, has earned a reputation for excellence in robustness, reliability, precision and shooting power. The various models correspond to the equivalent models of the TIGULLIO series, but do not have the power changer. Constantly updated over the years, they are made in the superlight, maneuverable and fast version in the brandion. The handle is equipped with an anatomical kick with an inclination designed to hold the rifle in axis with the arm outstretched, without fatigue. At the bottom of the kick there is a sturdy hooking point for the ball's sagolone. The trigger is equipped with a sure trigger lock and, in its run, frees the hook. They come with an 8mm galvanized steel threaded rod.
 
There are a few guns still available in new condition. https://www.ebay.it/itm/Fucile-pesc...m-tigullio-cressi-mares-OFFERTA-/153436788790
s-l1600.jpg

The SABRE series of oil-and-air rifles, which have been in production for many years, has earned a reputation for excellence in robustness, reliability, precision and shooting power. The various models correspond to the equivalent models of the TIGULLIO series, but do not have the power changer. Constantly updated over the years, they are made in the superlight, maneuverable and fast version in the brandion. The handle is equipped with an anatomical kick with an inclination designed to hold the rifle in axis with the arm outstretched, without fatigue. At the bottom of the kick there is a sturdy hooking point for the ball's sagolone. The trigger is equipped with a sure trigger lock and, in its run, frees the hook. They come with an 8mm galvanized steel threaded rod.
 
Still.....the pump I have for my Sten does not fit this gun. Can I swap the a valve for a Sten or Cyrano and use an existing pump?....or get a new pump that fits the valve. If so, which one? that remains a bit of a mystery.
 
Manufacturers in their wisdom often had different thread sizes to inspire "brand loyalty", so although the design may be a clone they changed some parts to be unique to their own gun. At one time there were a lot of these Tigullio RAS guns around, so a hand pump may be available on eBay from time to time, or you make an adaptor for it using another brand of hand pump.
Tigullio RAS 90.jpg

Swapping the inlet valve body would depend on the thread size in the rear of the inner barrel bore and I have no info on that. The hand pump shown looks like a Cressi-Sub pump.
 
Last edited:
Try here for a hand pump.
 
Found this on an old thread submitted by member "blur".
Speargun IDODValve Thread Pump Thread Head thread
Mares Sten 1318M14 x 1.25 x 17M14 x 1M18 x 1.25 x 18
Seac ASSO 1318M14 x 1.25M14 x 1M18 x 1.5
Cressi SL 1318M14 x 1.25M18 x 1.5M18 x 1.25
Tigullio RAS 1318M14 x 1.25 x 17M18 x 1.5M18 x 1.25
Omer Tempest 1318M14 x 1 x 17M14 x 1M18 x 1 x 24




Last number is the length of the thread where noted. (some sizes need to be rechecked as other sources show different numbers!)
The "valve thread" is the internal thread cut into the rear of the 13 mm inner barrel on these guns. If the above table is correct then the Sten and Tigullio RAS inlet valve bodies could be swapped over in order to use a Mares hand pump provided the OD of the valve body fits in the rear of the grip handle.
 
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As the gun was not very expensive I bought one of the Francis Sabre 70 pneumatic guns currently being offered on eBay, so four are remaining. Francis is a brand name used by Tigullio, so this is essentially a single power version of the Tigullio RAS pneumatic speargun. Tigullio also used the Francis name on their last spring guns with the model name "Saetta".

Checking out the hand pump it has a 16 mm thread (the thread peaks measure slightly under that size) with a pitch of 1.5 mm. The extreme nose end of the pump is machined down as it fits inside an "O" ring trapped in the rear of the gun, similar to the Eskwad pump and the GSD pump. The Cressi hand pump screws down onto a flat rubber washer in the rear of that gun, so it will not work, plus it is larger at 18 mm thread diameter.

The Francis Sabre is of “Old Italian” quality and not tainted by parts produced "elsewhere". For some reason the hand loader and speartip were missing, but that fact is actually stated on the eBay selling page and so was not a surprise. Having a lot of speartips and loaders at my disposal it is not a problem and Mares tips will fit the 8 mm diameter shaft which has the usual M7 thread.
 
A scan of the instruction manual for the Tigullio/Francis Sabre gun is shown here. Note that the power regulator model is shown as well on the parts diagram.
Francis Sabre cover (558x800).jpg
Francis Sabre centre (800x563).jpg
Francis Sabre rear cover (572x800).jpg
 

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