Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

Had a good experience with a gun shop or rifle maker? Found a good deal? Tell us about it. Had a bad experience, TELL THE GUN SHOP!

Moderator: dromia

Forum rules
Posting of negative comments in the Gunshop section could bring unwanted criticism on the forum, having said that it is important to let members know if dealings with a Gunshop were less than ideal for you. To that end we will allow what will be known as the 'Scotsgun Ruling'

The Scotsgun Ruling:

>Add Gun Shop here<

"As I've yet to have a 'positive' experience there, I'll refrain from commenting further."

Beyond that please take it up with the Gunshop, if you do resolve the issue in a agreeable manner let us know!

This rule applies to the entire forum.
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UK Armourer
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Home club or Range: Three Counties, Ponteland

Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#41 Post by UK Armourer »

Hi Death2ticks
all the conversions I did on full-auto UZI's (around 200 of them I guess) did not have any Allen screw 'stops' or the like. All the conversions were 'hard welded' trigger stops and modified sear groups. I guess the one you saw wasn't one of mine or supplied by Pat!

Cheers,

Vic
ASP
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Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 6:30 am
Home club or Range: NYC

Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#42 Post by ASP »

Hi dromia and All from someone else whose path crossed Pat Walker's and, possibly, yours.

Please read the email below, which I just sent to forum Management. I still can't private message, so hopefully Vic (UK Armourer) will see this, or one of you can pass it on.

And by the way, way back when, I walked in off the street for almost no reason other than there was a single combat boot and ammunition box in the terraced home's window. I also had no reason, almost, to be anywhere near Gateshead, and most especially not in the back streets!! But five minutes later, and for the next three months, I had full access to everything behind the "cupboard" behind the counter. Almost all seemed just a figment of my imagination until a few hours ago. Crazy times all around us, but I just want to reach out and say thank you to a stranger. All the best and, who knows, maybe my path is coming around full circle.
Peace.
ASP
PS Post is a little too public, so X'd out my phone number. But email me or PM, and I'll be happy to call you straight back (I'm usually on US Eastern time, five hours behind UK). ASP

Thank you, sir. I'm writing from New York, about the time that you will be getting up. I'm hoping that somehow you get a chance to approve my registration in the next hour or two, so that I may post to the following thread before bedtime: http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=23719

Strangest thing . . . . four hours ago, I was telling my friend a story about this dude I met in Gateshead, in 1983, when I was 15 and a half--a London boy (and grammar school dropout) very much out of place. When I searched, for the first time in 35 years, not even sure that I had his name right, the first hit was your forum, and every single word was as I described it from memory!! Decades later, after serving in the military, becoming a surgeon, a lawyer and a businessman of various types (if you can believe any of it), I still credit certain people who can't possibly remember my life moments or imagine how they could possibly be woven into the tale (though I kept visiting him almost daily, for three months). Would like to chat for five minutes; maybe he has some recollection of who I used to be, ages and ages ago. And if possible, would like to track him down tonight!!!

All the best, and thanks for being there just the way we all intended for the world wide web. Oh, how the plan failed to survive first contact with a hostile enemy force. And as with all your members, I grew up reading all my commando comics, and dreaming of the day. And even stranger, I'm about to help someone here in NY with a newly commissioned gun range/club (the only one with the federal license for New York City), so will spend some time looking through your pages.
With respect, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Sgt. (Ret., just before my demotion to Corporal!) ASP, IDF Medical Corps & 890th Battalion, 35th Parachute Regiment, BA (hon.), MD, JD, FCLM
aspbdc@aol.com
PS And if there's any chance you can forward this email to Vic, a.k.a. UK Armourer, it might save some time getting in touch, as I'm not sure what your PMs link to. Anyone can reach out to me here or on my cell: +1 XXX XXX XXXX
Rockhopper
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Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#43 Post by Rockhopper »

Gazoo wrote:
25Pdr wrote:Anybody remember John Longstaff?

He was a well known Gun Dealer who supposedly committed suicide on a plane by cutting his throat in the toilet.
Some details...
http://harrogateinternationalfestivals. ... hn-barlow/

From the article..

The manner of his death, however, was not ordinary. He was found dead on a flight from Amsterdam in ’84, slumped in the toilet, his throat cut. An apparent suicide, complete with suicide note. Throat? Who kills themselves by slashing their own throat? His wife didn’t believe it, and kicked up a fuss, challenging the coroner’s verdict of suicide. And that’s when the s*** really started.
Yes it sounded like bullshit at the time and the aroma has just matured over the years . Something else rotten in the state of Englandmark me thinks.
I friend of mine killed himself like that - he was found sitting by a camp fire in the woods by someone out walking his dog..
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Ovenpaa
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Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#44 Post by Ovenpaa »

Welcome to the forum ASP :wave:
/d

Du lytter aldrig til de ord jeg siger. Du ser mig kun for det tøj jeg har paa ...

Shed Journal
Gazza
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Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#45 Post by Gazza »

Chapuis wrote:Yes I remember John Longstaff and Pheasant Valley, I purchased my first centrefire pistol off him through the post. It was a Model 28 highway patrolman and I think it cost me £125 brand new in the box. I also purchased a couple of cheap gun cabinets off the company one of which I am still using.

His death opened up a very big investigation involving many RFDs and the sale of stolen MOD ammo. I remember military police officers attending a local gun auction that was selling 9mm and 7.62mm ex military ammunition and it being withdrawn from sale. In one case I seem to recall stories of remote storage sheds down in Wiltshire where huge quantities of suspect ammo was being stored. Didn't the guys who originally opened the tunnel range in Devises get implicated in all this?

I remember Mr Longstaff too as his shop was about a mile from my school in Pudsey.
We would walk home via his shop to look at the automatic weapons in the window of the shop and then walk in if the door was open and have a look round.
Many a time there would be a huge wooden crate in the middle of the shop floor full to the brim with loose bullets, these crates would be 4ft square and 2ft deep and we would pick up handfulls of bullets and let them rattle back into the crate through our fingers wtf
The word on the street after his death was that he was selling Gadaffi arms while at the same time cutting out certain other "arms dealers" so the inevitable happened and by that I mean he committed suicide on the plane 8-)
UK Armourer
Posts: 8
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Home club or Range: Three Counties, Ponteland

Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s - Pat Walker

#46 Post by UK Armourer »

Guys,
I have the sad task of informing you all that my great friend and mentor Pat Walker (James Patrick Stokel-Walker) passed away peacefully on Wednesday 13th of September. He had been treated for bowel cancer about 3 years ago but it returned and went to his liver. He is survived by his three daughters and grandchild.

I had the pleasure of his company in Edinburgh the last two days of July this year. He had been a great friend for 39 years although we hadn't met up for some time we did talk a lot on the telephone and work on some deals 'online'.

If it wasn't for Pat my interest in smallarms would never have been fulfilled!

God Bless you Pat...

Vic
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Blackstuff
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Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#47 Post by Blackstuff »

That's sad news, he seemed like quite the character. RIP Pat
DVC
UK Armourer
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:38 pm
Home club or Range: Three Counties, Ponteland

Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#48 Post by UK Armourer »

Guys,
if you are interested in smallarms why not follow our YouTube channel 'The Armourers Bench'

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvKdx ... ZA4TtabjdA

It is down to Pat and his friendship I have been able to continue my interest and share it with others...

Vic
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Sim G
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Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#49 Post by Sim G »

Very sad. I remember him well...
In 1978 I was told by my grand dad that the secret to rifle accuracy is, a quality bullet, fired down a quality barrel..... How has that changed?

Guns dont kill people. Dads with pretty Daughters do...!
MistAgain
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Re: Gateshead Firearms Dealer 1980s

#50 Post by MistAgain »

Sad to hear about Pat , he was one of the good guys .

Keith Perks who used to run Springfield Firearms also died earlier this year , or the end of last year . Another loss to the shooting community .
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