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Thread: Baby BSA prewar model D

  1. #1
    edbear2 Guest

    Baby BSA prewar model D

    I like the look and feel of small guns, webley junior rifles etc.....in fact anything miniature....maybe its all the airfix kits and lead soldiers I had as a nipper.....One day, when I have a lot more time on my hands, I want to do a 1/3 or 1/4 scale prewar similar to some I have seen on the net.......anyway, I have had a 39" imp mod D apart....the cylinder was bulged at the barrel joint and had a deep dent......didnt really have a plan of what I was going to do until two things happened....I got hold of a 13 inch stock, (from Johns D....it was too short for me), and was browsing Hillers and saw the L the Lincoln gun........you can guess where this is leading by now......I was going to be a bit cheeky and post a pic of the finished article to see if anyone would fall for it, but have decided I want to keep this job "public" as I have no intention to deceive anyone, and no intention to pass of the finished article as something it is not. So....some pics of progress....barrel and cylinder are now a bit shorter than the L model, I think sorting out the cocking stroke and piston etc. will be a bit of fun, but hopefully it will all work O.K.!.....have bought a dovetail cutter to move the sight/latch slots, so thats no prob.....really should have a slimmer 11" stock, but am not touching that as I am just making a small gun, not a ringer!!!!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7616789686347/

  2. #2
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    facinating stuff Eddie you never cease to amaze me.


    Regards

    John

  3. #3
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    Hi Edbear,

    Looks interesting and will be great to shoot ! You realize that its now only a matter of time now before you manufacture a Military Pattern !

    Cheers
    "helplessly they stare at his tracks......."

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Josie & John View Post
    facinating stuff Eddie you never cease to amaze me.


    Regards

    John
    Or me

  5. #5
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    Looks like a nice metal finish too. Whats the secret Mateycool:

  6. #6
    edbear2 Guest
    scotchbrite 205mm x 25mm deburring wheels at 3000 rpm........various grades...the medium gives a standard factory finish if you want an original looking gun after bluing.......or go over the whole thing after with a fine/very fine grade wheel (they are spindle mounted on a 3hp canning floor mounted motor, like you see in a polishing/plating shop)...then polish with sisal first then open weave mop to obtain a mirror finish if thats what you need .the scotchbrite wheels cost about £50 a pop......but I do it at work

    http://alpineabrasives.co.uk/shop/pr...roductid=26066

  7. #7
    edbear2 Guest
    Been insane at work for a bit......but I have managed to do a little bit more on this baby by getting in early from time to time.....also, I found a murdered, stockless, model "L" at malvern fleamarket....see the pic of what the poor thing has suffered and this has speeded things up a bit.......anyway....instead of making things easy for myself at the start and reducing the damaged imp D cylinder to the same as an L...I made it 1/4 inch longer (more power!!!!).....the result being that of course all the cocking arm/piston ratio would be a fuss......so this model L turned out to be a godsend...I have used the D piston rod,shortened to suit the stroke, and the L secondary link, combined with the L piston....and it all cocks and fires like a good'un....so the finished article will be in the style of, and with the stock, sights and markings of a 1908 gun, but with slightly more grunt than a light model (thats if the extra 1/4" stroke makes any difference!)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7616789686347/

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Hi Ed,

    Have a .22 45" Imp mod D with similar fractures to the cylinder just in front of the trigger guard, though no where near as bad, they are just hairline cracks.
    I reckon its from it being repeatedly cocked with the trigger guard screws loose over the years. Not by me I would add.
    Is it weldable do you reckon and what type of welding would it require. I might try and get it done locally as my van also needs some welding and I could use a bit of info.

    Cheers Morgan
    "helplessly they stare at his tracks......."

  9. #9
    edbear2 Guest
    Hi Morgan....Its a repairable item, but the only downside is you have to use an alloyed filler rod with a high resistance to cracking, to get the best mechanical results and to ensure a permenant job...I would use something like a CastoTIG 45612 W filler rod.....its a nickle alloy, which means the weld will not take a blueing solution.....The process to use is tig welding, and the cracks should be perfectly clean and degreased, and butted up tight...the barrel is blanked off with metal tape, as are the cocking slot and rear of the cylinder, plus all screw holes....you feed argon down the barrel and put some pin holes in the tape at the back to let the gas escape under control, thus ensuring the back of the weld joint is protected from the atmosphere (contamination!)....the weld should be right through the wll thickness, and will need cleaning out......this is also a pain as the threads need to be redone.......If it is welded, and the weld does not penetrate through, it will crack again in time. A different way would be to make a shaped patch and cover the cracked area, but this obviously would detract from the appearance and value.......depends if you just want it as a shooter.

  10. #10
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    Hi Ed,

    Many thanks for the info.
    If I get it done, I'll ask the welder what he thinks and see if he is speaking the right words first.
    Is a tap obtainable for the thread size and will it cut weld in situ.

    Atb Morgan
    "helplessly they stare at his tracks......."

  11. #11
    edbear2 Guest
    Hi Morgan......thats what makes it a pain,..the thread really has to be recut on a lathe. You have also really to use a carbide insert tool, and as you are travelling along the original thread, and then hitting weld, it all has to be done very carefully, and there is a risk of damaging, or enlarging, the original thread, which makes the trigger block fit looser. I have only ever done one of these like this, and we had a great old boy on the lathe....it worked O.K., but its not a quick job.....if your cracks are short, and very fine, You could drill a 2-2.5mm hole at the ends...and then put in a bit of dark metal filler....the holes will stop the cracks growing, and all you will see is little dark circle, which is hard to notice (the edges of the holes, inside and outside should be deburred carefully so there are no sharp edges)......Ed

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    Many Thanks !
    "helplessly they stare at his tracks......."

  13. #13
    edbear2 Guest
    Update.......finally got around to getting it all finished, as I thought there was a little more to do in the way of machining.....the piston slot at the front needed a bit of work, as the cocking arm would not return fully when cocked

    Anyway....after seeing Johns cracking REAL example at Bisley, I realise that the tiny 11 stock is the thing that really makes these so cute.....but I am quite happy with mine.....It is for the missus, as she is 4'11", and even a L model is slightly too long for her

    I found a nice dual element BSA sight for up front, and have used Birchwood plum brown as a finish......It really does look old, and handling will only add to this.

    The extra 1/4" in the cylinder length over an L has hardly made a difference, but it is lovely and smooth, and running at 610 fps, so not bad for a tiddler.

    I have posted some more pics showing its size in relation to a 45" D, and also next to a 39" one (how it started before I got the saw out).....also the cocking arm showing the lincoln stamp (a pain cutting it into 5 pieces, but I am glad I did)

    next project may be a stripping guide in photos, I feel guilty at how much work GGGR has been doing!!!!

    Click on "all sizes" icon to see larger piccys.....

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7616789686347/

  14. #14
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    Ed, it looks COOL!

  15. #15
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    Green eye

    I have serious case of green eye monster for the lovely rifle and your skill in producing such a wonderful creation. I'm sure BSA would have been proud the add "The Improved Model E.D." to their range! Nice one Eddy. Caddy

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