Doing up old airguns is fun isn't it.

[The Reverend]

I have been given my Grandads old Airsporter he bought in 1958, the box was really tatty so I threw it away and it now has a nice home in a sheepskin slip.
The bluing was nearly non existent and the power was at about 7ft/lbs and the stock was really dirty. I have managed to get it apart, the piston had a weird conical head which had broken down, but a mate knocked up a replacement on his lathe out of PTFE.
I removed all the rust with a flapper disc on my grinder, then polished it up with 0000 wire wool, there were some deep pitts so I filled them with plastic paddeng, smoothed polished it again, gave it a few coats of gloss black and it's looking OK.
The stock was a bit of a challenge, getting all the grime off was hard and I gave up, in the end I just rubbed it down with sandpaper and lifted the dents with an iron untill it was smooth, there was a weird sort of ES/ marked on it, or something but that has gone now, looks much better. A few coats of woodsatin and varnish, looks great!
The only real bit of trouble I had was with the stock bolt, after I had dug my way into it, I managed to get it out but the threads were damaged and the head will not take a screwdriver again. I overcame that by using an M8 tap, then making a new bolt from threaded rod.

All in, an enjoyable little project, I think I'll give my father-in-laws tatty MkIII a go next, I'm sure he would like it to have a little touch up after all the years he has had it.

[harry mac]

Well if you're not dug in nice and deep in your slit trench, at least put your helmet and flack jacket on Oh, how I hope this is a spoof.

[The Reverend]

Why? What is wrong?

[jefL]

...and I thought I was in trouble in this sleepy corner of the BBS.

[harry mac]

...and I thought I was in trouble in this sleepy corner of the BBS.

Don't worry, your transgression's been noted young man

[edbear2]

I did an older BSA in a similar state a while ago........It was one of the old pre-war types, with only the short wooden handle.......It was in an old wooden box that someone had painted "BSA" on.....totally impracticable, and so, my father in law converted it into a fold-up pasting table...he is quite handy at woodwork. The was also a funny old tin/steel door bell in the box with a "parkingale" or summat badge on it......weighed a ton, and had a hole drilled in the front, dont know how that got in there, so gave it to a neighbour who car boots old household electrical stuff. Anyway, the gun wasn't in as bad condition as yours, actually it had been wrapped in one of those special papers that stop rust, and so was a beautiful, even, dark blue, the stock was quite nice as well except some wally had inserted a stupid brass plate in it with "presented to Lincoln Jeffries by Lord Roberts in Gratitude etc. etc."......some old waffle....so obviously that went straight in the bin, and I got the old wood filler out and set about fixing the stock......was very hard to match the wood though ....apparently it was some grade xxx exhibition grain or something, so I cheated a bit and painted it a nice brown from the cuprinol "garden shades" range.....I'me not daft see....added rain protection

Anyway, I fired the thing, and it was bleeding gutless......the pellet hardly cleared the muzzle!.....I was using quality FTT's in 5.54, so obviously it was the gun.......on closer inspection, It had "load 3" stamped by the pellet hole thingy......so I tried that......after the second one it wouldn't close

I must admit I was stumped at first.......then I realised the barrel was far too baggy for the pellets......I really was annoyed, as at first I would have sworn that it had never been fired!........luckily, I can weld and make things, so it was a simple job to remove the worn out barrel and graft one on from an old airsporter......shame really as the bluing was so nice, but a quick wipe with some birchwood casey, and unless you got up really close, say 30 or 40 feet, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Really pleased with the overall job, so over the holidays I may start on an old Webley I got from the same old boy.........weird thing is that it is also in an old wooden box, and has three barrels.maybe one of them will fit I hope, as I have run out of airsporters to cut up!

[johnbaz]

I did an older BSA in a similar state a while ago........It was one of the old prewar types, with only the short wooden handle.......It was in an old wooden box that someone had painted "BSA" on.....totally impracticable, and so, my father in law converted it into a fold-up pasting table...he is quite handy at woodwork. The was also a funny old tin/steel door bell in the box with a "parkingale" or summat badge on it......weighed a ton, and had a hole drilled in the front, dont know how that got in there, so gave it to a neighbour who car boots old household electrical stuff. Anyway, the gun wasn't in as bad condition as yours, actually it had been wrapped in one of those special papers that stop rust, and so was a beautiful, even dark blue, the stock was quite nice as well except some wally had inserted a stupid brass plate in it with "presented to Lincoln Jeffries by Lord Roberts in Gratitude etc. etc."......some old waffle....so obviously that went straight in the bin, and I got the old wood filler out and set about fixing the stock......was very hard to match the wood though ....apparently it was some grade xxx exhibition grain or something, so I cheated a bit and painted it a nice brown from the cuprinol "garden shades" range.....I'me not daft see....added rain protection

Anyway, I fired the thing, and it was bleeding gutless......the pellet hardly cleared the muzzle.....I was using quality FTT's in 5.54, so obviously it was the gun.......on closer inspection, It had "load 3" in the pellet hole thingy......so I tried that......after the second one it wouldn't close

I must admit I was stumped at first.......then I realised the barrel was far too baggy for the pellets......I really was annoyed, as at first I would have sworn that it had never been fired!........luckily, I can weld and make things, so it was a simple job to remove the worn out barrel and graft one on from an old airsporter......shame really as the blueing was so nice, but a quick wipe with some birchwood casey, and unless you got up really close, say 30 or 40 feet, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Really pleased with the overall job, so over the holidays I may start on an old webley I got from the same old boy.........weird thing is that it is also in an old wooden box, and has three barrels.maybe one of them will fit I hope, as I have run out of airsporters to cut up!

Nearly peed me pants laffin' at that- great stuff Ed


John

[The Reverend]

I did an older BSA in a similar state a while ago........It was one of the old prewar types, with only the short wooden handle.......It was in an old wooden box that someone had painted "BSA" on.....totally impracticable, and so, my father in law converted it into a fold-up pasting table...he is quite handy at woodwork. The was also a funny old tin/steel door bell in the box with a "parkingale" or summat badge on it......weighed a ton, and had a hole drilled in the front, dont know how that got in there, so gave it to a neighbour who car boots old household electrical stuff. Anyway, the gun wasn't in as bad condition as yours, actually it had been wrapped in one of those special papers that stop rust, and so was a beautiful, even dark blue, the stock was quite nice as well except some wally had inserted a stupid brass plate in it with "presented to Lincoln Jeffries by Lord Roberts in Gratitude etc. etc."......some old waffle....so obviously that went straight in the bin, and I got the old wood filler out and set about fixing the stock......was very hard to match the wood though ....apparently it was some grade xxx exhibition grain or something, so I cheated a bit and painted it a nice brown from the cuprinol "garden shades" range.....I'me not daft see....added rain protection

Anyway, I fired the thing, and it was bleeding gutless......the pellet hardly cleared the muzzle.....I was using quality FTT's in 5.54, so obviously it was the gun.......on closer inspection, It had "load 3" in the pellet hole thingy......so I tried that......after the second one it wouldn't close

I must admit I was stumped at first.......then I realised the barrel was far too baggy for the pellets......I really was annoyed, as at first I would have sworn that it had never been fired!........luckily, I can weld and make things, so it was a simple job to remove the worn out barrel and graft one on from an old airsporter......shame really as the blueing was so nice, but a quick wipe with some birchwood casey, and unless you got up really close, say 30 or 40 feet, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Really pleased with the overall job, so over the holidays I may start on an old webley I got from the same old boy.........weird thing is that it is also in an old wooden box, and has three barrels.maybe one of them will fit I hope, as I have run out of airsporters to cut up!

2/10 for effort. That's just taking the piss.

[T 20]

Brilliant --- LMAO


All the best Mick

[Kingplinker]

presented to Lincoln Jeffries by Lord Roberts in Gratitude my ar$e everyone knows he didn't live in a place called gratitude

Thanks

Dave

[edbear2]

2/10 for effort. That's just taking the piss.

Afraid not........here is the evidence

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





















Na Na, ne, Na Na!

[The Reverend]

Wanna redo my airsporter?

[Paddy_SP]

Na Na, ne, Na Na!

I think that translates as: .177 1963 BSA Meteor , .177 1963 BSA Meteor, .177 1969-73 BSA Meteor, .177 1963 BSA Meteor, .177 1963 BSA Meteor.

[Ian Johnstone]

Paddy, thats the sound you usually hear when the polis turn up at yours (which is most nights, folks).

Ne Na ne na Ne NA, NE NA etc.

[Garvin]

I did an older BSA in a similar state a while ago........It was one of the old prewar types, with only the short wooden handle.......It was in an old wooden box that someone had painted "BSA" on.....totally impracticable, and so, my father in law converted it into a fold-up pasting table...he is quite handy at woodwork. The was also a funny old tin/steel door bell in the box with a "parkingale" or summat badge on it......weighed a ton, and had a hole drilled in the front, dont know how that got in there, so gave it to a neighbour who car boots old household electrical stuff. Anyway, the gun wasn't in as bad condition as yours, actually it had been wrapped in one of those special papers that stop rust, and so was a beautiful, even dark blue, the stock was quite nice as well except some wally had inserted a stupid brass plate in it with "presented to Lincoln Jeffries by Lord Roberts in Gratitude etc. etc."......some old waffle....so obviously that went straight in the bin, and I got the old wood filler out and set about fixing the stock......was very hard to match the wood though ....apparently it was some grade xxx exhibition grain or something, so I cheated a bit and painted it a nice brown from the cuprinol "garden shades" range.....I'me not daft see....added rain protection

Anyway, I fired the thing, and it was bleeding gutless......the pellet hardly cleared the muzzle.....I was using quality FTT's in 5.54, so obviously it was the gun.......on closer inspection, It had "load 3" in the pellet hole thingy......so I tried that......after the second one it wouldn't close

I must admit I was stumped at first.......then I realised the barrel was far too baggy for the pellets......I really was annoyed, as at first I would have sworn that it had never been fired!........luckily, I can weld and make things, so it was a simple job to remove the worn out barrel and graft one on from an old airsporter......shame really as the blueing was so nice, but a quick wipe with some birchwood casey, and unless you got up really close, say 30 or 40 feet, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Really pleased with the overall job, so over the holidays I may start on an old webley I got from the same old boy.........weird thing is that it is also in an old wooden box, and has three barrels.maybe one of them will fit I hope, as I have run out of airsporters to cut up!

Outstanding Eddie. LMAO.