Why do some BSA air rifles have a large hole in the end of the barrel?

[wildoliver]

As title really, I've noticed a lot of BSA rifles have the end of the barrel bored out to circa 8-10mm, why? Push fit silencer maybe? Ready to be screwcut to a female thread for silencer? Styling to make it look like a large bore gun? God forbid to allow it to fire corks?

[I. J.]

I think BSA used to call it 'muzzle crown protection'. I call it cheaper engineering - its so that they can drill (and tap) the screw hole for the fore sight unit into the barrel without fouling the rifling.

ATB
Ian

[Gareth W-B]

I think BSA used to call it 'muzzle crown protection'. I call it cheaper engineering - its so that they can drill (and tap) the screw hole for the fore sight unit into the barrel without fouling the rifling.

ATB
Ian

... Wow I didn't know that ... but will now commit it to memory for anorak sessions . Cheers Ian. Every day really is a school day .

[Hsing-ee]

It's there as a cigarette holder - the CBCS. BSAs were originally designed as rifles for the rod & rifle man, something to take on an angling trip. Targets of opportunity often present themselves on the banks of streams and lakes on private estates and a sportsman should always be ready to take his chance. There you are, smoking a Woodbine or Capstain Non-Filter, one hand lazily holding the fishing-rod. Suddenly a 17lbs monster pike bites - you need both hands to control the beast, the line is zipping off the reel like ammo through an MG42. So as not to waste the cigarette, you pop it in the muzzle of your BSA which is resting at an angle, propped up on your tackle-box. It can safely smolder there without any risk of it getting damp.

As smoking became less popular, and particularly amongst the health-conscious angling community (the UK's largest body of active Sportsmen), BSA's counter-bored cigarette-saver was dropped. Another nail in the coffin of the coffin-nails.

Barrels with counter-bored muzzles are still available for export markets where cigarette smoking is still considered a manly passtime, such as Nigeria and Lapland.

[Hsing-ee]

The CBCS was also adapted to mount a spigot-grenade which was launched using a Discofelt cleaning pellet. The grenade contained a couple of ounces of ground-bate or a squad of twelve specially-trained maggots, and could be used to draw fish to a particular spot where they might be caught.

[Troubledshooter]

The CBCS was also adapted to mount a spigot-grenade which was launched using a Discofelt cleaning pellet. The grenade contained a couple of ounces of ground-bate or a squad of twelve specially-trained maggots, and could be used to draw fish to a particular spot where they might be caught.

NURSE------------ He's escaped again.

[Rellum]

It's there as a cigarette holder - the CBCS. BSAs were originally designed as rifles for the rod & rifle man, something to take on an angling trip. Targets of opportunity often present themselves on the banks of streams and lakes on private estates and a sportsman should always be ready to take his chance. There you are, smoking a Woodbine or Capstain Non-Filter, one hand lazily holding the fishing-rod. Suddenly a 17lbs monster pike bites - you need both hands to control the beast, the line is zipping off the reel like ammo through an MG42. So as not to waste the cigarette, you pop it in the muzzle of your BSA which is resting at an angle, propped up on your tackle-box. It can safely smolder there without any risk of it getting damp.

As smoking became less popular, and particularly amongst the health-conscious angling community (the UK's largest body of active Sportsmen), BSA's counter-bored cigarette-saver was dropped. Another nail in the coffin of the coffin-nails.

Barrels with counter-bored muzzles are still available for export markets where cigarette smoking is still considered a manly passtime, such as Nigeria and Lapland.

[wildoliver]

Lol there's always one!

The sight business makes sense.

[yoshiwolves]

you pop it in the muzzle of your BSA which is resting at an angle, propped up on your tackle-box. It can safely smolder there without any risk of it getting damp.
i was going to comment on this sentance, but i think i best not

[Sam Vimes]

I think BSA used to call it 'muzzle crown protection'. I call it cheaper engineering - its so that they can drill (and tap) the screw hole for the fore sight unit into the barrel without fouling the rifling.

ATB
Ian

I think that there's a bit of both in there. However, I'm not sure that I buy the cheap engineering aspect as I'd suspect making a barrel this way is probably more expensive not less. I would agree that it'll make the subsequent fitting of a foresight a much simpler operation though.
I'd be intruiged to know why Steyr do pretty much the same thing on the FT/HP 110 barrels as they don't have to screw a foresight into their muzzles. Having done away with an ineffective muzzle brake on my Steyrs I suspect that there may be some measure of blast dissipation going on with the recessed crowns too. So perhaps, a very tenuous perhaps, there is some degree of improved accuracy from doing so too.

[beagle2]

Just a thought can anyone explaine why the webley tempest hurican has a shroud over the end of the barrel to give the same affect

[MrGreengrass]

Yes,to fire fairground corks.

[Hsing-ee]

Just a thought can anyone explaine why the webley tempest hurican has a shroud over the end of the barrel to give the same affect

I think it is just a marketing thing to make it look bigger and sexier - probably to compete with the almighty BSA Scorpion of the time.

[Punchsteve]

It' so the pellet can come out when you fire it mate.

HTH