BSA Cadet Majors

[jjjjjj]

Hi all
I think the bsa cadet major is one of the best looking air rifles that bsa made i have three now and one cadet all in very good condition with very clear etching i have had a total of severn at any one time and have bought and sold many more over the years i have found that the power of these is around the 6 ft lbs on average most 5 1/2 ft lbs and at best 7 ft lbs yet on the old bsa adverts they say you can shoot vermin out to 50 yards so working things out with this power range i would say 15 yards would be max for a rabbit with ahead shot going by a 12 ft lbs rifle today taking most shots at 30 yards so after all this can anyone tell me if the have shot rabbits with the cadet major? i only use mine now for plinking but as bsa claim 50 yards for vermin was this a false claim, iam always intrested on anything about the cadet major so what are your thoughts?
JJJJJJ

[CHJF177]

Hi,

In the good old days before the trade description act (and other 'protective'
legislation) it was quite common for manufacturers or retailers of just about
anything to make, dubious, flowery or exagerated claims for their products.
BSA were no different and Webley behaved in a similar fashion to, all in an
effort to attract the buying public, they were acting in a way that was the
norm for the time. After all didn't The White Star line claim the Titanic was
unsinkable!

ATB Chris.

[keith66]

Several years ago i aquired a really beat up cadet major, it had a badly bent barrel right in front of the breech block, so bad the rifling was creased & i ended up sawing the barrel of at the front of the breech block & by heating it up managed to knock the soldered stub out.
The remainder of the barrel was straightened & turned to fit the breech block & resoldered.
Its probably the only Cadet major carbine out there! but it shoots great.

[jjjjjj]

CHJF177
Some very good points there thank you.
JJJJJJ

[Gareth W-B]

I think the bsa cadet major is one of the best looking air rifles that bsa made

Agreed, and for anyone reading this thread who fancies a Cadet Major project, take a look here http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=455045.

[william g b]

hi,i agree that cadet majors were the best airguns ever made,i own 4 including a 1947 m series.(pre bolt through the pistol grip).in my younger days before the 1957 wild bird pretection act when very little was pretected we shot a wide variety of birds such as pigeon,magies,jays and also rabbits ,and many species long since pretected all with our cadet majors . atb william.

[william g b]

hi, please read protected not pretected .(my wife cant spell).
william

[emin-j]

I wanna tell you a story
Probably 45 years ago now my Parents took me to see some family friends in Andover ( Hampshire ) when we got there their Son showed me his Air Rifle which was a BSA Cadet Major , we all decided to go to a picnic area just down the road and the Gun came with us . We traveled a few miles down a country lane and the Son said ' stop the car ' we all looked a bit puzzled as he reached for his Gun and lowered the car window , he then took aim at something through the opening into a field and I suddenly spotted his target - a Pheasant ! I was well into Airguns at that time and could not believe he was taking a shot at this Bird which was at least 35 yds away anyway he fired and I was totally shocked to see the Bird drop to the ground
He jumped out of the Car to retrieve the Bird and put it in the boot.
Later we had a close look at the Bird and the Pellet had passed through the Birds eye on one side and came out the other What a shot !!
We spent the rest of the day ' plinking ' with this Rifle and it was Magic
I couldn't believe the accuracy of that Rifle especially when in the Son's hands , and yes I own a Cadet Major .

[Arch.Stanton?]

I let my old Cadet go , and well it was a period I'm not familiar with , but have to say it certainly had its charms . Slender airgun not matched in style by any other of the period . Smoothbores were just as accurate as rifled oddly , and I remember one test claimed that the former was actually better than the rifled version on test .

[Lakey]

A few years ago I found a superb condition BSA Cadet major in my local gunshop. The photoetching positively glowed, like it had been done yesterday, and what made the gun really unusual was that the action was in a three piece spliced stock (ala Airsporter Mk1 and Mk2)

I really would have loved the gun in my collection, however sadly at the time, I couldnt rustle up the readies needed , so out of the goodness of my heart I listed it on this very BBS on behalf of the shop together with a personal recommendation on the condition of the gun.

Well it sold in double quick time to a certain gent down Andover way, and now has pride of place in his collection

To this day it is the only Cadet major I have found in a three piece stock.

Anyone else seen one????

Lakey

[Easy Bully]

Mine still happily plinks plenty of rats, it's very accurate and I would never let it go.
EB

[Mark D]

A few years ago I found a superb condition BSA Cadet major in my local gunshop. The photoetching positively glowed, like it had been done yesterday, and what made the gun really unusual was that the action was in a three piece spliced stock (ala Airsporter Mk1 and Mk2)

I really would have loved the gun in my collection, however sadly at the time, I couldnt rustle up the readies needed , so out of the goodness of my heart I listed it on this very BBS on behalf of the shop together with a personal recommendation on the condition of the gun.

Well it sold in double quick time to a certain gent down Andover way, and now has pride of place in his collection

To this day it is the only Cadet major I have found in a three piece stock.

Anyone else seen one????

Lakey

Hi Lakey - Yes, two in fact one had suffered and the stock has some splits in it. The other C26274 I still have,it's fine with no splits or cracks although it looks a bit 'used' in a 40 year old air rifle sort of way. Crackin little rifles as has been said

[bazwong]

Hi All
A few months back I was asked...if my house caught fire and I only had time to take 1 gun which would it be, I answered in less than 3 seconds, it would be a Cadet/Cadet Major
(I now have more than 300 airguns to choose from, I think I have about 8 or 9 Cadets. I`m not bragging or being big headed, its just that I have been collecting for about 45 years now, and find it VERY hard sell any of them. A friend told me that to collect anything that it becomes an obsession is a sign of deep insecurity....Oh well....I`m DEEPLY insecure!)

IMO the Cadet is aesthetically beautiful in design, their proportionate sleekness is as pleasing to the eye now, as it was 50-60 years ago, almost timeless in design.
Regarding shooting Rabbits or vermin of any kind, I would suggest to anybody, get to know your cadet first and see what it does on the range, they can very a lot in muzzle energy/sights/straightness of barrel etc
ATB
Barry

[Amac]

I think I might be inclined to use the gun for close range ratting but thats about it. A fine looking gun with a lot of history. Wish I had one myself!
Andy

[Mike95]

I found my gun to be very accurate to 20 yards but accuracy dropped off after this. I was unable to get the back block off the gun and did not want to damage it, (I could see the bolt bending) so I reverted to the original instructions for fettling the leather piston washer...ie tip some oil down the chamber and stand upright in a warm cupboard. After a few oily shots, the gun settled down to 6 ft/lbs or so with very little MV variation. Could cut a 1/2 inch group at 10m with the open sights. Not bad for £25 and I would not sell it. Shame I could not get to the innards.

Mike95