BSA Scorpion rebuild & blueing

[nick_h]

My old Scorpion needs some TLC. Can be seen in my other thread with my rifles.

It has probably not had more than 500 rounds through it in its life but has been left lying around and unloved. It's not had a round through it fo maybe 10 years or more.

The blueing has 'gone off' in places. It's pitted. It may have been the loft for a period of time.

What would be involved in a restoration project ? Would it be possible for a novice ie me with no experience of dismantling to at least get the pistol in bits ? Would it be better to just send it off to a pro ?

How much would a rebuild cost including re-blueing ?

Cheers !

[Hsing-ee]

It's a simple design, the trigger mech is slightly more complicated than say a BSA Meteor, but if you can open a can of beans without using a hammer you should be fine.

The best thing to do with it, once stripped, is to give it to Colin at Manchester Air Guns and get him to polish it and re-blue it or if the pitting is too deep, get him to nickle or chrome-plate it. His handle is colmag on the BBS.

[johnbaz]

i have one in pieces already (just need to source a buffer washer for behind the piston head....

i have to go out in ten minutes (bl**dy 12 hour nightshift), tomorrow i'll photograph the parts so that you can get an idea of what is involved in the strip


john

[nick_h]

Thanks guys. That would be much appreciated John !

[munchman]

Dead easy gun to strip.

Remove the safety catch (Take note of it's position as it only fits one way)

Take off stock.(Including allen head screw in trigger
butt under butt plate)

Un-screw the 4 x screws that hold the the trigger unit in place.

HOLD THE UNIT TIGHTLY TO THE MAIN BODY UNTIL ALL 4 SCREWS ARE OUT.

Then slowly pull the trigger unit away from the main tube.

The sear will lever up as it is spring loaded.HOLD IT FLAT AGAINST THE TRIGGER UNIT AND USE A STRONG ELASTIC BAND TO KEEP IT IN PLACE.

You are now safe to put the trigger unit to one side.

Now for the fun part NOT

There is a pin at the end of the main tube that retains the spring guide/spring.The spring is under quite a lot of tension.

Get a piece of broom handle (We have some very short brooms now ) This is usually exactly the right diameter to just slide in to the main tube.If not use a stanley knife to shave some off until it just fits.

You will then need to cut a 'U' shape into the end on the wood.The 2 ends of the 'U' need to slide either side of the retaining pin just enough to allow the spring to be compressed.The retaining pin can then be tapped out.The spring and guide will then release from the gun.

I put the wood into a vice.TWO pairs of hands are needed.One person (My son) compresses the spring whilst the other drifts the pin out.

THIS BIT TAKES SOME COORDINATION.

OR

You can buy or make a spring compressor (Too much hastle to make)

The piston can now be withdrawn from the main tube.

The piston head 'o' ring will need replacing and the washer between the piston head unit and piston tube will probably be totally mushed (Broken up into bits) so this will need replacing.Check the piston head for cracks,replace if cracked.There is a circlip that holds the piston head onto the piston unit.You need to 'split' it and slide it gently up the piston head shaft to release it.This has to be done through the cut out in the piston unit.Takes time and a steady hand with a fine headed screwdriver or similar.

Re-assembly is the reverse. BUT getting the retaining pin into the main tube whilst the spring is under compression is a real test of patience and coordination if you are doing it for the first time.This pin has to be put back in the correct way to fit into the spring guide (You will see what I mean when you get the gun apart)

Anyway.

Have fun.

Carl B

[johnbaz]

here's a couple of pics of the parts of the scorpion, i removed the small circlip from the piston head (a ballache to get off) then put it back for safe keeping (can't get the bu**er to off this time)

carls' description is spot-on, follow his instructions and you won't go wrong

>>>pic 1<<<


>>>pic 2<<<


hope this helps a little....


john

ps, nearly forgot- the rusty bit in the first pic is an old box spanner that i hacksawed two bits from so that it can straddle the pin to put pressure on spring so that the pin can be withdrawn....