Airsporter education, please.

[M.Meijer]

Having stumbled upon a typical BSA fixed barrel air gun that looked like an Airsporter, that even says it's an Aisporter- do not remember a number though - but has a sliding breach similar to the Feinwerkbau 300 known to me, I wonder what product this is?

Made in Britain still or is this a spanish (?) gun with the old label on?
Still, lovely lines, but what is their quality c.q. shooting qualities? This gun is a .177 caliber with a beech stock.
Any comments are appreciated, thank you all in advance!

Regards,
Michael Meijer

[pennineway.fswo]

If it has Airsporter stamped on the cylinder, then my guess is that it is the last Airsporter model made by BSA in UK and known as the RB2 -rotating breech model. These are lovely underlever guns and have superb styling

The direct feed of pellet into the barrel makes them an accurate rifle - with the right pellets of course

The breech opens by rotation (manually) unlike the FWB 300 series where the breech slides open on cocking (Like a HW77)

If the breech on yours slides open rather than rotates then I am puzzled

John

[M.Meijer]

Hello John,

Thank you for the info.
And let me hasten to say that I likened the breech to the FWB 300 as it appeared the same.
Some further digging on my part made me realise this Airsporter would be the RB-2 indeed, as in Rotating Breech, so please forget about the 'sliding' I took for granted.

It seems it was introduced in 1992, to be discontinued in 2000. I guess it was made in Britain then? Sorry if this looks cynical, but owning 2 Webley pistols and 2 Norton Commando motorcycles, I am all too familiar of reputed names that USED to be made in Albion at one time, and this seems to fit this pattern, and I seem to have read somewhere the BSA air rifle is made in Spain today.

Do you have an idea about the availability of spares, like the breech seal?
Again, thank you for the info, as I am contemplating buying this rifle.
Regards, Mike

[Airsporter1st]

I understand the breech seals are readily available.

You have to take care though only to rotate the breech once the gun is cocked - otherwise the seals will be damaged.

By the way the rotating breech has a major advantage over the sliding breeches of other current underlevers from e.g. HW and AA - and that is safety. No risk of trapping fingers in it.

[pennineway.fswo]

I understand the breech seals are readily available.

You have to take care though only to rotate the breech once the gun is cocked - otherwise the seals will be damaged.

By the way the rotating breech has a major advantage over the sliding breeches of other current underlevers from e.g. HW and AA - and that is safety. No risk of trapping fingers in it.

Hi Mike
This clever design breech was also used by BSA on their Superstar model
As stated above by Airsporter 1st, it is a very safe design and my own RB2 is a very accurate Airsporter even at long range(50 yds)
The .177 cal. one is quite desirable and one of the nicest looking air rifles ever made
BSA also made in the UK an upmarket version with a longer stock of Walnut, but this model is worth quite a lot of money and is absolutely beautiful(IMHO) - I am still looking for one of these, and they do appear on here occasionally
Spares for these rifles are available from John Knibbs or Chambers
ATBest
John

[M.Meijer]

Hello Paul,

I would have to take a good look at the construction of this rotating breech to see what exactly makes it safer; I presume for this gun to be effective, the piston should end its travel close (less than a thumb's thickness!) to the pellet. The sliding breeches on most (!) so equiped rifles are supposedly provideded with a anti-bear-trap device, and it seems a rotating breech can be designed with a simple safety to ensure a life - after shooting - complete with all fingers!

Even so, I customary load these kind of rifles with the lever fully cocked and held; this is where I feel I might 'suffer' from too an imaginary mind, but so be it.
Anyway, my interest in such a last model Airsporter is heightened and I thank you for your comment.

Edit: thanks again John!

Regards, Mike Meijer

[Airsporter1st]

Hello Paul,

I would have to take a good look at the construction of this rotating breech to see what exactly makes it safer; I presume for this gun to be effective, the piston should end its travel close (less than a thumb's thickness!) to the pellet. The sliding breeches on most (!) so equiped rifles are supposedly provideded with a anti-bear-trap device, and it seems a rotating breech can be designed with a simple safety to ensure a life - after shooting - complete with all fingers!

Even so, I customary load these kind of rifles with the lever fully cocked and held; this is where I feel I might 'suffer' from too an imaginary mind, but so be it.
Anyway, my interest in such a last model Airsporter is heightened and I thank you for your comment.

Edit: thanks again John!

Regards, Mike Meijer

I'm confident that you wouldn't regret getting one of these guns.

With the rotating breech there is physically no way that you can get your loading fingers in harm's way.

Look here for a diagram which shows the breech arrangement (and the breech seals):

http://www.gunspares.co.uk/showcatimage.asp?id=24690

[Hsing-ee]

Where do you reside? Is that a town in the Netherlands?

[Airsporter1st]

Where do you reside? Is that a town in the Netherlands?

Look on Google maps - just east of Amsterdam.

[M.Meijer]

Hello Hsing-ee, that was a good guess, and Google of course can confirm it.
Weesp is a village-sized city - with cityrights well over 650 years - on a river, some canals and, of course, the ubiquitous (3) windmills. Google provides a nice pic from above, if interested.

By the way, as things have developed, I basicly have clinched the deal on this RB-2 rifle, on behalf of an aquaintance.
However, I made the proviso I could use / shoot the gun when I feel like it.
As I believe that richess lies in experience(s) and not so much in ownership, this looks like a good deal for me.
Initially I was not interested in the gun as it did not seem an Airsporter as I knew them;
then I decided to call in your help, with the above results.
If this will lead to a change in plan regarding ownership time will tell....and I intend to keep you posted, as I have come to like this little exchange.

Regards, Mike Meijer