I came across this today, does anyone know much about them?

Its a Daisy&Heddon VL Rifle

made in Rogers, Arkansas
Divison Victor Comptometer Corp.

Patent Applied For

Pic of ammo
[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3341[/img]

Back of ammo box
[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3342[/img]

cartridge itself
[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3343[/img]

rifle
[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3347[/img]

reciever
[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3345[/img]

I know it's a collector's item.  The gun, and the ammo.  

Apparently only a few were put on the market before Daisey pulled it - I believe ATF got their panties in a bunch about the gun for some reason, but I don't know the specifics.  You see them at the fun shows, usually for a hefty price.

I know it uses a a jet of compressed air to ignite the cartridge, but I always wondered if it had to use some kind of co2 canister or if it was just some sort of air chamber/piston set up.

Too bad, I think that there should really be caseless guns on the market. Too bad the Voer never took off. I'd like to see and AR chambered in the 5.6mm Caseless round.

It has a lever underneath the stock that cocks it.  I just went and shot it twice, very quiet shooter. NEAT!

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=3344[/img]

That's a pretty cool rifle you have there! Any idea as to accuracy and range you can get out of it?

The rifle don't belong to me (yet).  I took it out behind the plant and shot it in a dirt bank so I really don't know well it will shoot.  I'm pretty sure I can talk the owner into letting me take it home for a couple of days.  I'll let you know.

I'd appreciate it. Sounds like a cool little thing to have around. Is it strictly an air rifle, or does it "ignite" like someone said? I guess shooting up all the collectable ammo wouldn't be a good idea though.

It is [i]not[/i] an air rifle.  The compressed air charge only sets off the propellant.  The projectile is driven by the expanding gasses from the propellant burning, just like in a regular firearm.  

Awesome. What kind of gas charge does it use? Propane? Butane? Either? I want one in .308!

Yes I am outta my mind, but that is another subject.

He brought the rifle up to my office, showed it to me, let me take pics, and then said "Lets go out back and shoot it!"  Hell I couldn't refuse that.  I don't think he realizes how rare these are.  Thats why I took the pics and posted them here.

I sold a couple of these when I was working for Woolco sporting goods about 30+ years ago.  They were much more powerful than a pellet gun, but the ammo was a little pricey and they never took off.  Daisy quit making them for purely economic reasons, I believe.
The compressed gas sets off the charge (which you can see on the base of the bullets you photoed) and it is truly case-less.
And Shotar is right....its too valuable to be shooting and the ammo is absolutely irreplaceable.

Well He wont come off the rifle, He said He'd sooner sell His wife than the rifle.  Oh well, I tried.[:D]

He also has 3 other full boxes of ammo.

Does anyone know approximate value?

Not extremely valuable.  I see the ammo here at gunshows for $1-$3 a tube, and the guns in the $200 range.  I have extra ammo in my collection if you ever locate another rifle.


McBalming

Pretty cool. My brother's got one that a family friend gave him probably twenty years ago. Just looked and there's also about 425 cartridges for it as well. We did shoot about five rounds thru it ,maybe ten years or so ago. Just seemed like a quiet .22.

That specimen you have there is much better condition than most of the examples I see at shows - most of them were treated like a cheap air gun for kids, hence they never got wiped down or the bore cleaned.

They aren't all that rare, but the ammunition is just getting more valuable as the fixed supply gets used up.  Get inside the airgunner's circle to find one easily.  They don't bring much money because they basically aren't practical for someone that is a shooter and not a collector.

Info from the Blue Book -
19000 mfg from 1968 to 1969
Standard Rifle Value, 100% condition : $200 or so,
Presentation Rifle, 100% : $235,
V/L Collectors Kit (case, gun cradle, 300 rounds, other stuff) : $350 in 100% condition

Daisy was licensed to manufacture airguns, BATF ruled the V/L was a firearm, so Daisy dropped the line.

Interesting guns, though (not many that aren't, I guess!).

I remember seeing a presentation grade kit version of that rifle for sale when I worked at the gander mountain store in grand rapids.
5 years ago.

I think it was manufactured by daisy/vorae(sp?)
It was quite a looker and had a little brass badge on the buttstock and all.

I seen to remember it was going for 300+.
I thought about grabbing it, but seeing I was only making about 300 dollars a week at the time that was a princely sum of money for what I considered a novelty at best.