Old BSA Optics

[harry mac]

I just recently acquired one of the old BSA 3x scopes with the adjustments on the mounts. I originally got it to compliment a MkII BSA Meteor I got off here a couple of months ago. Unfortunately the mounts are not big enough to fit on the rifle's dovetails so, for now, I've put it on a Webley Hawk MkI just to see if it works. I got it zeroed today at about 10m, and the optics on these really are as bad as I've heard. They make my old Webley 4x15 look like a Swarovski I can certainly see why not many survived, they must have been thrown away in their hundreds.
When were these scopes made, and what would have been the earliest Meteor they would have fitted? MkIII or MkIV maybe?
The next question therefore has to be, did BSA actually make/sell a scope to fit the wide dovetails on the MKII Meteor?

[johnbaz]

Hi Harry

BSA definitely made a scope to fit the early meteor and airsporters (the ones with the four 'pressed' scope rails)

i think they were 16mm mounts, here's one on a mk2 airsporter...
Sorry, i don't have a closer photo but they are 4x20, japanese optics with pressed steel mounts...



John

[harry mac]

Cheers John, the one I've just got is apparently British made (according to the markings on the eye piece), so pre-dates the one in your photo. Do you know if the later scopes were available with different mounts to enable them to fit on the earlier guns?

[Mike95]

The Mark 1 Meteor was the first (so claimed) air rifle to come with a dedicated scope. These were plastic bodied, originally 2x and later 3x. Cross hairs move as you adjust, plastic lenses, pretty awful. I have one fitted to a Mark 1 Meteor just for the sake of completeness. The later metal BSA scopes in 20mm object lens were usually Jap made and quite reasonable. I recently received a 3-7x20 BSA attached to a Sharp Ace and it is good enough for 25 yard target. Mounts are not 16mm however. The old plastic jobs do come up every so often. Your alternative is a set of Sportsmatch mounts in 15.5mm which is the actual Meteor size for the 4 "blocks". I did manage to fettle a set of 11mm rings for someone with a Mark 2 Meteor.

Mike95

[DJS]

Here are some pictures of the mk1 meteor and the bsa scope.
Rifle with scope
Scope
Daz

[harry mac]

Here are some pictures of the mk1 meteor and the bsa scope.
Rifle with scope
Scope
Daz

Thanks for the pics Daz. What year are those from? The sight I have has the adjustments on the mounts rather than on turrets which makes me suspect it's a very early BSA product, but the mounts are not wide enough to fit the wide dovetais BSA were using on the MkI Meteor and MkII Airsporter which then makes me think it's from a bit later. Colour me

[DJS]

They are from a booklet dated 1960.
Could you post a picture of your sight?
Daz

[harry mac]

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...MeteorMkII.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...copeonHawk.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...eronMeteor.jpg

Attached above are a few gratuitous shots of classic air rifles and scopes. The Scope on the Meteor is a Weaver K2.5, 1950s or 60s vintage.
The Hawk MkI wears a BSA scope of indeterminate age. I'm hoping to find out when BSA produced these from one of the learned members here on.

[harry mac]

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...MeteorMkII.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...copeonHawk.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...eronMeteor.jpg

Attached above are a few gratuitous shots of classic air rifles and scopes. The Scope on the Meteor is a Weaver K2.5, 1950s or 60s vintage.
The Hawk MkI wears a BSA scope of indeterminate age. I'm hoping to find out when BSA produced these from one of the learned members here on.

I've just seen another one of these sights advertised on e-bay and the seller says they were made for the BSA Merlin. If that's right, it solves my little mystery.