Vintage BSA Date and value

[Iain D]

Hi everyone, first of all thanks to the people who responded to my last post asking for info on buying my first rifle of this age, there are a couple of guys who have sent me pics of rifles they may be willing to part with.

I also came across a rifle in a junk shop not to far from where I stay and by chance I have managed to get a model and serial no off it.

Could anyone advise as to whether this is worth investigating

It is an Improved Model D .177 serial no 21928 it is all there apart from the trigger adjustment screw at the front of the trigger guard, there is no rust but the blueing is thin and taken on a slight brown tinge, screw heads are not to bad the tap is tight the sights are complete.

It has the straight hand stock with the BSA Trade Mark embossed in to it, with a 14 1/4 on the underside.

Any idea of age and value?

Thanks

Iain D

[Garvin]

Ian it's a Light or Standard Improved Mod D. The Knibbs book says it was made between July 1908 and Jan 1909 and despatched from the factory July 1908 to April 1910. Value maybe between £140 and £200 depending on exact model and condition, but would cost more from a dealer. Straight hand stocks are scarcer than the pistol grip ones.

[Iain D]

I think I will take a trip in tomorrow and try and purchase this one as it is going for a lot less than that, in fact I'm sure they don't know what they have and have put a nominal price on it,

With the kind of luck I'm having at the moment this is the only bright point there's been for a few weeks....Redundancy looms, I'll find out tomorrow
so I might need something to take my mind off things.

Thanks for getting back so quickly, if i manage to get it I will put some pics up so as you can see whether it's been a good choice or not.

ATB

Iain D

[edbear2]

Ian it's a Light or Standard Improved Mod D. The Knibbs book says it was made between July 1908 and Jan 1909 and despatched from the factory July 1908 to April 1910. Value maybe between £140 and £200 depending on exact model and condition, but would cost more from a dealer. Straight hand stocks are scarcer than the pistol grip ones.

Darn.......too sloooooooooooooow.as Garvin says Iain, if the screws etc. look good, and the stock has no damage, and the sights are complete, and it cocks and locks edge towards the high one hundred and somethings, but when you consider what £200 gets you in the way of a new gun, and you will be getting a piece of airgun history, that should hold, or increase in value in the years to come, It's a bargain to those in the know who appreciate these old usable classics.......(don't tell everybody ....or they will all be buying them)

[Iain D]

If I get it at the asking price It is a large saving on the value you gents have indicated it should or could be worth, I'll keep everyone posted as I said there are a couple of guys who have sent me info on rifles they may be willing to sell, it's like waiting for a bus and then they all appear at once.

What sort of velocity should this rifle be capable off, just so I have an indication of condition of the spring and seal, and are they straight forward to replace, i dont want to do anything that would put a strain on an old rifle,just would like to make as smooth as possible, it would not get a lot of use, but would like to be able to use once in a while for vintage shoots.

Iain D

[edbear2]

HI Iain, Simple job to work on these, just remove the trigger guard, and cocking link, and unscrew the back......5 min job!......a washer set and spring from J.knibbs will cost you about £38 however, but many BSA springs (airsporter etc.) will be a lot cheaper, and work (but may need shortening)....velocity wise, I recently tested two of mine, and they gave 675 and 718 fps, so the higher figure is reasonable if all is healthy inside I would think, maybe more (the better gun has a newish washer, but a spring of unknown age, although it looks fairly new).......ATB, Ed

[Iain D]

Hi Guys just a follow up on a previous post to say I did manage to get the Improved model D,

Looks not to bad sights are all there cocks and locks the tap is tight and the screw heads dont look to bad there are signs they have been taken out at some time.

The trigger adjusting screw was the only thing missing, but I got a one yesterday from Knibbs, also a spring and piston washer set, now comes the interesting bit....

I have never taken one of these apart and again from previous info should be simple enough, the two screws holding the trigger guard no problem the will move ok, the cross screw through the back block thats a different story, any advice before I go and do something stupid would be appreciated.

It is spitting hobby pellets at 615 fps but I don't want to use it untill I can make sure all is well inside.

Thanks

Iain

[edbear2]

Hi Iain.........sounds like you got a bargain!.....by the "cross screw", I presume you mean the trigger pivot?.......these are often very tight, as the head is recessed into the block, and tends to accumilate grease which hardens over the years, or rust...both of which jam it solid........the heads of the screws (as are ALL old BSA screws!) are tempered to quite a high hardness, so the next bit is important to note;

These screws must be removed with a quality, parrallel ground driver!....also do NOT try to put a lot of turning force on it, as they can shatter (especially if the slot has been "cleaned up" in the past, and made deeper......this really weakens the heads...


The "secret" is to soak the whole block, for as long as you can, in Plusgas, Diesel, or any other quality penetrating oil.......several days if you can wait....if still no luck, then the next stage is heat....this normally does it, but I don't know what kit you have.....the idea is to heat the head of the screw only, and then apply wd40, which is drawn in by capillery action........the ultimate process is a tig arc carefully applied, so as to heat only, and not melt!... second is oxy/acy by using a small nozzle, and be carefull to get the flame cone directly on the head ASAP........after these, other methods, such as a soldering iron with the end ground flat, tend to be too slow, and heat up the surrounding area...but they sometimes work....if all else fails, get someone with a tig set to build up the head with a tough filler rod, the screw will need re-heading...but it works 100% every time!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7623019958012/

OR.......just leave it if all seems to engage O.K...if you 100% have to remove it, and can find no-one local to help, get in the post to me and I will oblige

P.S..When unscrewing the block off the back, you will need to pull the trigger a smidge, to allow the block to rotate on some guns, as the trigger slot will show you on closer inspection. (the trigger moves forward on removing the guard/adjustment screw)