T Prefix BSA Rifle

[neil ledger]

Does anyone have any idea about what a T prefix BSA would sell for; I have the chance to buy it but not to sure how much to pay, its in average condition with a serial number of T345.

Many Thanks Neil

[Garvin]

I think they sell for a similar price to the "S" prefix Standards, but with a premium for comparative rarity. Altogether 5,599 "T" pattern BSAs were made between 1936 and 1939 compared with 35,000+ of its predecessor. But the "T"s are not that rare. When you consider that only 770 of the "A" prefix light models were ever made, you see the "T"s are relatively common. HTH a bit.

[mowerman]

But the "T"s are not that rare. When you consider that only 770 of the "A" prefix light models were ever made, you see the "T"s are relatively common. HTH a bit.

It's amazing really only 770 'A' series Light patterns and we have four of them owned by club members at Bisley!!?
Not a bad percentage given the number produced I think.

Paul.

[I. J.]

It's amazing really only 770 'A' series Light patterns and we have four of them owned by club members at Bisley!!?
Not a bad percentage given the number produced I think.

Paul.

Slightly off subject.
It used to amaze me the actual numbers of underlever BSA rifles which were produced before the war which are still in regular useage. That was until I stripped one. Talk about 'brick out house construction'.
I wonder how many of to-days 'wonder guns' will still be being used (safely) in 60 years?

ATB
Ian

[edbear2]

Slightly off subject.
It used to amaze me the actual numbers of underlever BSA rifles which were produced before the war which are still in regular useage. That was until I stripped one. Talk about 'brick out house construction'.
I wonder how many of to-days 'wonder guns' will still be being used (safely) in 60 years?

ATB
Ian

Not many would stand the stick that the early BSA's do mate!.......apart from one area (the stock/trigger block join).....which can give either a crack in stock, or a crack from the trigger guard screw holes.

..NOTE.....This is ONLY if the gun is used for extended periods with the stock/trigger guard screws loose!

They are remarkably trouble free, even after over 100 years of use!......it's been said on here many times before...but not only the solid design leads to this longevity, The "secret" is the quality of materials used, ....They truly were built like the best firearms of the period, with nothing skimped, in an age when we led the word in manufacturing....carbon manganese steels, forged barrel blanks, machine cut and polished rifling, cast steel cocking levers, correct and careful heat treatment of all bearing surfaces, hand lapped and matched loading taps......etc. etc......in a state of the art (for the period) manufacturing plant staffed by highly trained, well looked after, motivated,proud people who normally made service weapons for military contracts.....each and every gun was test fired and double checked, expert competition shots of the day were employed....There was nothing in the world like Lincoln Jeffrie's gun at the time (for he really was the genius that conceived the design)........with hindsight, and with all the guns that followed that we all know, it's easy to forget what a ground breaking bit of kit these were only a short few years after the turn of the 1900's.......I wish there was someone on the BBS who could take one to a modern factory, and ask how much an exact copy, made in the same way, would cost thesedays

[mowerman]

Slightly off subject.
It used to amaze me the actual numbers of underlever BSA rifles which were produced before the war which are still in regular useage. That was until I stripped one. Talk about 'brick out house construction'.
I wonder how many of to-days 'wonder guns' will still be being used (safely) in 60 years?

ATB
Ian

Couldn't agree more Ian, not many I bet!

Paul.

PS Sorry for hi-jacking your thread Neil!!

[Garvin]

They are remarkably trouble free, even after over 100 years of use!......it's been said on here many times before...but not only the solid design leads to this longevity, The "secret" is the quality of materials used, ....They truly were built like the best firearms of the period, with nothing skimped, in an age when we led the word in manufacturing....carbon manganese steels, forged barrel blanks, machine cut and polished rifling, cast steel cocking levers, correct and careful heat treatment of all bearing surfaces, hand lapped and matched loading taps......etc. etc......in a state of the art (for the period) manufacturing plant staffed by highly trained, well looked after, motivated,proud people who normally made service weapons for military contracts.....each and every gun was test fired and double checked, expert competition shots of the day were employed....There was nothing in the world like Lincoln Jeffrie's gun at the time (for he really was the genius that conceived the design)........with hindsight, and with all the guns that followed that we all know, it's easy to forget what a ground breaking bit of kit these were only a short few years after the turn of the 1900's.......I wish there was someone on the BBS who could take one to a modern factory, and ask how much an exact copy, made in the same way, would cost thesedays

Just read this Eddie. I couldn't agree more. Very interesting to hear your opinion from a skilled technician's point of view too.