Daisy makes a blunder...

[444 Magnum]

Not Faulkner's Daisy...

This Daisy.

I found this Daisy VL rifle and ammo (just over 3000 rounds) among my father's collection. I think he was shooting squirrels with it.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Daisy VL rifle, it was an air rifle that fired a .22 caliber bullet by igniting the propellant with compressed (heated) air. The "cartridge" consists of a bullet and propellant wrapped in paper-much like some old civil war rifles. The ammunition is well preserved in the plastic tubes with a plug/cap on one end.

They were made 1967-1969 until the ATF shut down production. Daisy didn't have a firearms manufacturing license and didn't want to get one. Their argument was the VL wasn't a firearm since it didn't have a hammer, firing pin, cartridge, etc. The ATF disagreed and that was that.

There is a nice write up about the VL at: Daisy VL rifle: Part 1 | Pyramyd AIR Blog

 

[444 Magnum]

I found a company that reproduces the original literature. It included advertising, the owners manual and a few other items.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Are they single-shot, or a repeater with magazine/tube?

 

[SAFireman]

A rifle that operates on the same principles of compressed air heating that a diesel engine uses - too cool

 

[444 Magnum]

It's a single shot. An underlever opens the bolt for loading, and, when closed, pumps the air into a cylinder and the trigger releases it like a BB or pellet gun.

Even without the ATF's involvement, the VL likely would have been a fail. The retail price was $39.95. Winchester 121 single shot .22's were selling at the time for $23.95.

B.B. Pelletier discusses the price point and the development of the rifle in the above referenced article.

 

[elgatodeacero]

It would be very interesting if you shot and chronographed the ammo from this rifle to see if the caseless ammo has lost its vigor or not?!

Your dad was a forward thinker to buy this rifle and ammo- very cool.

 

[JohnHL]

A rifle that operates on the same principles of compressed air heating that a diesel engine uses - too cool

You (and everybody body else) probably already know this, Fireman, but on many "compressed air" rifles (like spring pistons) a little drop of oil in the chamber, behind the pellet, results in combustion , and a higher velocity.

Can be tough on the equipment, though.

John

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

A rifle before it's time...........bet it would sell now.

 

[Faulkner]

Interesting. I've been in the Daisy plant in Rogers, Arkansas, several times and don't recall ever hearing of this model. Of course in '67 I hadn't even started kindergarten yet.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[paulleve]

I've got a small collection of these, and every few years I'll take one out and shoot it. Accuracy is not great, to say the least! I'm sure part of this comes from shooting ammo that is 50 years old and there has been some minor degradation over time. That said, I've never had one fail to fire! I think I'll take the chrono out the next time I hit the range with one to see how much the velocity varies round to round.

Just a few notes:

• They were all manufactured in 1968.
• There were three models available. The standard model shown in this post, a walnut stocked Presentation grade, and a Collector grade model. The Collector came with a brass plate on the stock that could be engraved with your name.
• Even though ATF shut down production shortly after it began, the rifles were sold for years after.

They were an interesting idea, but as is mentioned in an above post, they were relatively expensive for the time, and the ammo wasn't any cheaper than .22 LR.

 

[jrm53]

Back in the late 80's before they closed and moved the plant a man I worked for in our plant wife worked at Daisy and a few VL's became available and I got one I can't remember what I paid but it was not very much they worked very well but when you fired it, it jumped quite a bit. Jeff

 

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

If tou can find a copy of "It's a Daisy!" by Cass Hough, the history of the VL project is discussed.

 

[DWalt]

I have six of them, all variations. Plus a couple of cases of ammo. Haven't fired any of them for years. Probably should sell them.
BTW, Cass Hough was the inventor of the aircraft drop wing fuel tank which allowed P-51s to escort allied bombers all the way into Germany.

 

[DWalt]

It would be very interesting if you shot and chronographed the ammo from this rifle to see if the caseless ammo has lost its vigor or not?!

Your dad was a forward thinker to buy this rifle and ammo- very cool.

I have chronographed mine. MV is right at 1100 ft/second - which is what it says on the box.

 

[Echo40]

Yet another brilliant innovation which was lightyears ahead of its time shotdown by government bureaucracy.

Just imagine the advancements that could have been made in the development of caseless ammunition had the VL remained in production, caught on, competition was produced, and greater efforts were made to improve upon the design, if only the ATF weren't there to enforce the unconstitutional infringement of the Second Amendment handed down by corrupt bureaucrats, enabled by complacent citizens.

 

[boykinlp]

Never even heard of these before. That's what I love about the forum!
Larry

 

[Echo40]

It's kind of a shame that Daisy didn't choose to simply play the game and use this as they entry point into the firearms market, as I really think that an innovation such as this could have driven the market into an entirely new direction and quite possibly have ultimately resulted in caseless ammunition becoming a mainstay in the market as the technology behind it continued to develop.

Additional cost or not, I think that with proper marketing this could have been a hot seller that would have turned Daisy into an industry leader and may have ultimately attracted the attention of the Military.

 

[444 Magnum]

It's kind of a shame that Daisy didn't choose to simply play the game and use this as they entry point into the firearms market, as I really think that an innovation such as this could have driven the market into an entirely new direction and quite possibly have ultimately resulted in caseless ammunition becoming a mainstay in the market as the technology behind it continued to develop.

Additional cost or not, I think that with proper marketing this could have been a hot seller that would have turned Daisy into an industry leader and may have ultimately attracted the attention of the Military.

In the article I referenced above, the author writes that the military looked into the VL rifle for specific purposes but found that the caseless ammo was too fragile for military use.

 

[CajunBass]

I remember seeing adds for these in the big three outdoor magazines of the day I'm sure (Field and Steam, Outdoor Life, and Sports Afield). I was really interested in them, as I was almost anything firearms related even as a kid.

They will also keep goats out of the garden I can assure you. My former landlady had both goats and a garden. From time to time the goats would get out of their fenced enclosure and head straight to the garden. All she had to do was open the door, and shake that Daisy BB rifle she had. Those goats knew a sting was coming if they didn't beat feet back to where they were supposed to be. She didn't have to shoot but a very few times.