Pre War BSA Geek Help Needed.......

[RichardH]

Guys

I have a couple of rough old BSA underlevers in a rack over my fireplace.

Both are to be blueing/checkering projects but before I rip into them I thought I'd make double sure they arent overly valuable, both have zero original finish to the metalwork but are complete and not pitted, stocks are good but need refinishing and the checkering repointing which I am well capable of.

Both are .177, one I think is an Improved Model D, straight not bayonet underlever, catch on left side, hand checkered walnut stock, serial number SS8043

Second is 4" shorter, straight underlever with push button on the end of the lever, stock has odd impressed basketweave checkering with "BSA" in relief across the checkered area, serial number A311

Although looking tatty both would repolish and black beautifully and the stocks could be made 90+% with a bit of work, both cost £10 some time ago.

Can any of my learned friends identify these variations and approx values as things stand before they go under the knife?

Thanks guys

Richard

[Garvin]

Guys

I have a couple of rough old BSA underlevers in a rack over my fireplace.

Both are to be blueing/checkering projects but before I rip into them I thought I'd make double sure they arent overly valuable, both have zero original finish to the metalwork but are complete and not pitted, stocks are good but need refinishing and the checkering repointing which I am well capable of.

Both are .177, one I think is an Improved Model D, straight not bayonet underlever, catch on left side, hand checkered walnut stock, serial number SS8043

Second is 4" shorter, straight underlever with push button on the end of the lever, stock has odd impressed basketweave checkering with "BSA" in relief across the checkered area, serial number A311

Although looking tatty both would repolish and black beautifully and the stocks could be made 90+% with a bit of work, both cost £10 some time ago.

Can any of my learned friends identify these variations and approx values as things stand before they go under the knife?

Thanks guys

Richard

Not sure about the geek comment..... but here goes.

The first is probably S58043, a later Improved Mod D (1912) with safety sear. Not especially rare and in the condition you describe worth maybe £120 to £140. The second is a quite scarce late 1930s "A" series, of which only 770 were made. Worth in the region of £130-150 perhaps.

[edbear2]

Hi.....Have you tried shooting them.......Obviously after a quick check and bore clean...you may have a pleasant surprise!....

Whilst I have personally have refinished a couple of my guns that were in poor condition, I am now starting to leave them alone, no matter how bad they are......With the proviso that they are good shooters!......There are definitely two schools of thought here......In some ways similar to what you hear at classic car/bike meetings.....

One says that every mark and blemish shows the passage of a lifetimes or more usage, and adds to the character and history of a weapon...and barring things like actual damage ..ie. butchered screw heads and the like, it should be left alone.

The other says that refinishing (properly done) gives an idea of what the gun would have looked like when new, as so few survive in this condition...


I recently bought a BSA "S" series standard that had been re-blued (a proper, deep blue black...very good job) a few years ago......It looks great, and some people have even said "thats in good nick for it's age)..I have even started to examine getting it re-etched to be totally correct.

BUT........I can't put my finger on it, but I just reach for a different gun when heading out to the garden....

If Binners is reading this he will think I have had a religious conversion...Don't get me wrong.......If it is in barn find, in red rusty, full of spiders condition, (hello Jim).......then it needs to be sorted......but I also recently got a CS in this state.....the pitting is way past the polish it out stage, It looks like it has been stored in an open bus shelter on the sea front for the last 40 years......However, after a check and zero.....It is a cracking shooter, and the wire wool and oil treatment have revealed a dark patina like you see on guns over pub fireplaces...So will not be touching it as it is great fun to see peoples reaction when you actually hit stuff, or get a decent group at open sight ranges.....the reaction from some fellow shooters is always a laugh when you pull out a Prewar anyway (from people that aren't "in the know")......but when it looks like it has been holding a gate open for half a century, and you are hitting coke cans at 35 yards 4 out of 5 times (normally a cheer of "fluke"from the guys at the first hit.....then, as you carry on......"give us a go/how old IS that?/....I want one).Where was I?........Oh Yes.......

They will look nice re-finished, but bear in mind that the later gun originally had photo etched engraving on the cylinder;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2894440...88339/sizes/o/

And also, you mentioned re cutting the chequering....on this later gun, if you look closely, you will see it is in fact heat/pressure stamped, and not hand cut as on the earlier gun (close examination of the pair side by side will show several small detail differences, all aimed at simplification/cost savings as the years went by) IMHO.....the pre WW1 guns are the best in terms of wood quality/build detail

P.S.........Still in the process of scoping/internally modding one Binners.......I haven't totally "come over to the other side"!!


P.P.S........Whoops......Just saw the original comment on the chequering ....note to self....read it properly!


PPPS......Can a mod examine this answer.....and give me a geekiness rating please...I could have gone on for much longer, but need to get to work!

[RichardH]

Thanks guys, 9.5/10