Airsporter Down on Power

[john paul]

I only use 5.56 Wasps in my Airsporter, the quality of them is not as good as they used to be, but they are really the correct size for the old BSA rifles.
I wouldn't waste any money on any other different pellets until you have tried the Wasps i.e. eliminated this possibility.
Possibly try a search for pellets used in old Airsporters, I seem to remember one some time back.

[john paul]

When the tap is in the open position it does not line up correctly with the whole you drop the pellet into, if you get what i mean?


MMmmmmhh.. Just looked at your threads closer it does appear tap related can't see 5.56 Wasps making any real difference.


You seem to have done all the obvious regarding the tap and related parts.
I trust an expert on Airsporters from this forum should come up with the solution.

[T 20]

Kilopoise grease for loading taps is available from Rocal Lubricants and comes in 4 different grades, I should think the high temp grade would be the one to go for.

The loading tap on later Airsporters is lined up with the barrel by the use of shims between the loading tap lever and the action, part no W104 on Chambers. Unless you have had a fair bit of grit in the loading tap area to cause wear this arrangement should not lose alinement that easily.
Have you tightened the screw that holds the tap lever on, check behind the tap lever for anything that could stop it seating properly on the tap, this could cause misalignment.
The alternative to fireing pellets into a bucket of water is to push a pellet down the barrel from the muzzle and into the loading tap. The tap can then be removed and the pellet examined. This method also shows which way the loading tap needs to move to be inline.

The pellets to try in your Airsporter are 5.6 mm wasps.

Hope you get sorted ATB Mick

[Airsporter1st]

Unless they have improved a lot recently, the 5,6 mm wasps are so variable that any advantage of the larger size is lost in my Mk 2 airsporter. I get good and consistent results with RWS Superdomes.

The state of the pellets you recovered from the bucket definately show something amiss - although I'm not convinced that it is only loading tap alignment. have you checked the barrel carefully? (By sighting down it with the piston etc removed.)

[Denno]

I have just bought a tin of wasps 5.6mm. looking in the tin I dont think there is a similar pair in there!

Also whilst in the shop I had a look at a stutzen and how the tap opened on that, the hole that you drop the pellet through into the hole in the tap align perfectly, mine must be about 3 - 4 mm off! Althoug I dont have to force a pellet into the tap I presume if when its in the open position and off by quite a bit it will also be miss aligned in the closed position?

I'm in London at the mo so wont get to check how the wasps do in my rifle untill monday.

thanks for everyones help!

[Denno]

tried it with the wasps last night and it made no difference.

Have managed to get a pic showing the alignment between the loading tap and the other hole (what is this hole called?)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/...1d1f5c3117.jpg

I'm coming to the conclusion the tap is not aligned with the barrell when closed. If this is the case isit fixable?

thanks

[Hsing-ee]

Have you checked the crown of the barrel? It might be a problem at that end instead, get a pellet and screw a woodscrew into its base, then gently poke it into the first few mm of the muzzle, then withdraw. Don't push it in further than with the skirt in the bore by 2mm, and avoid touching the bore with the screw. If there is a problem there you should see irregular markings, if there isn't, you will just see the rifling marks.

Otherwise, I know this might sound a bit simple, but have you thought of sending it to BSA? They have excellent customer service and they have yet to charge me anything - I got a new Goldstar magazine for free, plus they fixed the old one, and they replaced the whole valving system on my Firebird for free as well.

Try giving them a call and see if they would be willing to sort your rifle out. Obviously, ask them how much it might cost just incase they charge - a service is allegedly £25. Those gouges on the pellets don't look healthy at all, and it may be that it needs some attention that is not possible in a home workshop.

BSA GUNS (UK) LTD.
Armoury Road,
Birmingham B11 2PP,
Armoury Road, Birmingham B11 2PP,
England. Tel: 0121 772 8543
Fax: 0121 773 0845

[Denno]

Have you checked the crown of the barrel? It might be a problem at that end instead, get a pellet and screw a woodscrew into its base, then gently poke it into the first few mm of the muzzle, then withdraw. Don't push it in further than with the skirt in the bore by 2mm, and avoid touching the bore with the screw. If there is a problem there you should see irregular markings, if there isn't, you will just see the rifling marks.

Otherwise, I know this might sound a bit simple, but have you thought of sending it to BSA? They have excellent customer service and they have yet to charge me anything - I got a new Goldstar magazine for free, plus they fixed the old one, and they replaced the whole valving system on my Firebird for free as well.

I have not checked the crown, will have a go tonight and see what i can find. Just to clarify.. which part is the crown? If I look down the barrell the first inch or so is much wider than the actual barrell, you can see where the .22 sized barrell ends. Is this part the crown?

I didnt know BSA would help with the older rifles, I would quite like to fix the problem myself but if I cant I will deffo contact BSA.

thanks for the advice

Denno

[Hsing-ee]

I have not checked the crown, will have a go tonight and see what i can find. Just to clarify.. which part is the crown?

I didnt know BSA would help with the older rifles, I would quite like to fix the problem myself but if I cant I will deffo contact BSA.

Denno

The crown is the end of the bore, where the rifling stops & the pellet leaves the bore. It is very important that it is in good condition as it will affect accuracy if it is less than perfect. On these older BSAs the muzzle is counter-bored to protect the crown - so it might be difficult to see. Get a strong light and shine it into the muzzle. You should see the crown an inch or so down. It may be that some foolish person has bashed a steel cleaning rod into the crown and damaged it. My Falke had a little lip of metal that gouged all the pellets on their way out and I think this is how it happened. It is repairable, but it might take a bit of patience, I used a ball-stone from a Dremel kit and worked it by hand until the lip was gone, then polished with lapping paste on a cedarwood pencil. There are threads on re-crowning, but if you are worried about it any gunsmith worthy of the name should do it for about £15.

The power might also be down because the 'O' ring seal is either too tight - the cure is to take a tiny bit off by rotating it in some very very very fine oxide paper, or it may have been knicked on replacement. They are very easy to damage on replacing into the Airsporter and Mercury series, and some people wrap a piece of camera film around them to protect them until the piston head is in the chamber, when it can be removed - although not done this myself, sounds a bit fiddly.

Good luck.

[Airsporter1st]

tried it with the wasps last night and it made no difference.

Have managed to get a pic showing the alignment between the loading tap and the other hole (what is this hole called?)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/...1d1f5c3117.jpg

I'm coming to the conclusion the tap is not aligned with the barrell when closed. If this is the case isit fixable?

thanks

Looking at the pic the alignment is a mile out!

When the tap on my '56 and '57 Mk II is open you cannot see any of the surface of the tap itself - unlike yours.

I can't help thinking that the closed alignment will be just as bad.

P.S. the depression above the tap also looks as if it's been damaged by having a screwdriver or something shoved in it. Are you sure that the hole in the tap itself is not similarly damaged?

P.P.S. The misalignment appears to be in the vertical plane, so I would be checking the condition and fit of the quadrant that is fitted into the slot in the tap. It should be a very good fit and not loose - even without the screw, and not worn. Finally, make sure that the chamfers on it face in towards the surface where the detent is installed.

[mallyally]

remove the tap and load a pellet directly into the barrel then replace the tap and try it that should answer your question once and for all tap alignment /barrel crown/ power loss /lord lucan (no not that one)
keep us all posted as together we should be able to fix it
if not you will never sell it on here

[pennineway.fswo]

Hi Denno

I was once given an Airsporter that was hopelessly inaccurate and down on power

The loading tap lever was a steel one and the rifle must have been dropped or knocked with the tap lever in the open position

This had bent the the steel lever in towards the cylinder so that when the lever was pushed to the closed position, the tap was still not correctly closed.

So close the tap and check that there is clearance between the lever and the cylinder There should be a small gap.

Also if this is not the problem, check the guns accuracy out at 20 yards or so. If it groups into less than 20 mm then the tap is probably correctly aligned in the closed position and the problem lies elsewhere

Good luck
John

[pennineway.fswo]

I have also remembered that many years ago, I bought an airsporter that someone had stripped and renewed the spring
This rifle was way down on power and there was a very obvious leak from the tap on shooting the gun
When I removed the tap I could see that the previous owner must have had problems unscrewing a stubborn trigger block. He had removed the tap and pushed a piece of round bar or a large screw driver through the hole to hold the cylinder while he unscrewed the trigger block, There was damage to the tap hole that was allowing air to escape during the firing cycle. Sorry to be the prophet of doom, but the surfaces of the tap and the hole in the cylinder are worth checking for score marks.

[Denno]

Hi All,

Thanks for all your help, there is alot to digest here!

Ok, I checked the crown and as far as I can tell it all looks good, the rifling looks in good condition and there seems to be no damage towards the end of the barrel internaly.

I Will check the O ring tonight but I feel the lack of power is still the air I can hear escaping from the tap.

I was fearing that it was the tap not ligning up, what is it that actually lines the tap up? I presume it is the handle itself as teh opposite side has an exra bit sticking out that seems to stop the rotation in both the open and closed positions. Also does the tap have to be a certain orientation? Every time I have put it back in I just slide it into place and screw the handle on.

I will try to fire a pellet by putting it straight into the barrell with the tap removed tonight. However since shooting my bucket a few days ago I wont be able to examine the pellet after

I Will examine the tap and tap enclosure as much as I can tonight, will hopefully be able to get of pics of it.

Thanks for all your help! Certainly given me alot to think about will get back to you!

Denno

[Airsporter1st]

Hi All,

Thanks for all your help, there is alot to digest here!

Ok, I checked the crown and as far as I can tell it all looks good, the rifling looks in good condition and there seems to be no damage towards the end of the barrel internaly.

I Will check the O ring tonight but I feel the lack of power is still the air I can hear escaping from the tap.

I was fearing that it was the tap not ligning up, what is it that actually lines the tap up? I presume it is the handle itself as teh opposite side has an exra bit sticking out that seems to stop the rotation in both the open and closed positions. Also does the tap have to be a certain orientation? Every time I have put it back in I just slide it into place and screw the handle on.

I will try to fire a pellet by putting it straight into the barrell with the tap removed tonight. However since shooting my bucket a few days ago I wont be able to examine the pellet after

I Will examine the tap and tap enclosure as much as I can tonight, will hopefully be able to get of pics of it.

Thanks for all your help! Certainly given me alot to think about will get back to you!

Denno

As far as I know, the tap is aligned by a metal quadrant which is screwed in a slot at the oppoite end of the tap handle. It is that to which I referred in my previous post. looking at your photo I believe that is where you should focus your efforts to start with.

P.S. you need to remove the stock to see the quadrant, detent ball and spring. Be careful the ball doesn't shoot out while you are fiddling!