A BSA Merlin for plinking?

[Kees]

Hi Everybody,

My first post here.

I know very little about air rifles, I've got a Chinese .22 which I bought to deal with a rat problem (it was very effective!) and recently I have been enjoying using it for target practice, but it is a big clunky thing, it seems extremely powerful to me, and I thought a little gun like the Merlin might be more the thing for indoor use.

I've seen one for sale, post-1964, apparently in good condition, it's a Series 2. I'm wondering what sort of quality these rifles were. How accurate can a little gun like that be? Or would I be better looking at something else?

Any thoughts you have would be welcome.

Best wishes,

Kees Uiterspees

[colin857]

Hi Everybody,

My first post here.

I know very little about air rifles, I've got a Chinese .22 which I bought to deal with a rat problem (it was very effective!) and recently I have been enjoying using it for target practice, but it is a big clunky thing, it seems extremely powerful to me, and I thought a little gun like the Merlin might be more the thing for indoor use.

I've seen one for sale, post-1964, apparently in good condition, it's a Series 2. I'm wondering what sort of quality these rifles were. How accurate can a little gun like that be? Or would I be better looking at something else?

Any thoughts you have would be welcome.

Best wishes,

Kees Uiterspees

well read some where is i rember right back in the 60s people used to use them for bell target shooting

[grezoor]

cracking little gun, I have two early models and regularly use them in my 5 meter indoor range (spare bedroom) have a good pellet catcher though saves dodging the rebounds

[edbear2]

Hi Kees.......I don't know much about Merlins, but hello and welcome anyway!

[johnbaz]

Hi

And welcome!!

From what i've read about the Merlin, it's a very small gun suitable for a child so if you're a big bloke, it may be too dinky for you...

If you can handle and maybe shoot the rifle then you'll know immediately whether or not it's for you


John

[hwvixen]

Welcome Kees,

I always think of them as a "baby" Airsporter...watch out for split stocks..!

[ggggr]

I think the Merlin can be a bit fragile and would like to offer up a few classic alternatives. A Diana model 15 is a very small tinplate that you could use to shoot darts. A Diana 22/23/Webley Jaguar/Junior/Ranger are a bit more solid but you might have trouble adjusting the sights low enough at close range although maybe a modern red dot might fit on the ones with a scope rail? These are small guns but you can use them in John Wayne "True grit" style if you were in the mood. I think a Diana 25 fitted with a tired mainspring so it only gave about 3ft lb might be a better solution. Again, a red dot might help. Have you thought of a pistol?

[Bessa]

I owned 2 Merlins 4 years apart about 22 years ago.
They are nice looking little tools with streamlined stocks and had the more novel (at the time) tap loading which one pressumed to be much better than the similarly sized Meteor. Sadly this was not the case at all.
Nowhere near as robustly built and in my experience barely more than half the power.
They were accurate though....very low recoil saw to that but mechanically fragile.
They actually had quite small cylinders and mainsprings, with fragile triggers and locking mechanisms for the lever.

[torrens]

Hi Kees, welcome ; don't know much about Bsa Merlins but a low power rifle is great for indoor use. I agree with ggggr's suggestion about a Diana 25, I use a 1930's one for living room target practice, it's quiet and easy to use. I've got more powerful modern and classic stuff but have fun using it for 20-30 yd plinking as well 'cause it's accurate.
Lots of alternatives though, Bsa Cadets usually a safe bet if you want an oldie. ( Air pistols are good fun too.... )

Cheers Torrens

[Airsporterman]

Hi Kees,

Sorry I am an Airsporter fan and don't know much about the Merlin, I too saw one recently advertised and because it was a BSA and because it was an underlever, I was immediateley interested!
I did some research on the internet, seems there were a lot of mixed views on the quality and reliability of these rifles.
They are supposed to be very small in size which suits them to smaller shooters!
Their relative rareity factor bumps up the price that people ask for them so you probably would be better off looking for a decent early Airsporter or similar!

Hope this is of some help!

ATB
Airsporterman
Northumberland (Gods County!)

Kills - 0

Paper targets - 20,000+

[PaulR]

I have a mint mk1 (bought from here).

They really are a childs rifle - I am only small 5'6" but I "loom" over it and it is awkward to aim as even my small arms are too long.

That said it is a cracking little gun and accurate. Mechanically it seems a little frail so I do take great care when using it.

If I was going for another one I'd get a rough example and just enjoy using it without the worry of marking it.