Rotating breach airsporter information?

[Gamocfx]

Hi Chaps,
its been a while since I have been able to devote any time to airguns but last night I began looking through my comics because I had a desire to read about the rotating breach airsporter....obviously I could not find the right magazine!
Does anyone know of an online review for this rifle or have any basic information? Ive never seen one and my curiosity is killing me now that I have a few hours spare to read....
Thanks in advance....is it different from the other BSA underlever with a rotating breach?

[Airsporter1st]

Hi Chaps,
its been a while since I have been able to devote any time to airguns but last night I began looking through my comics because I had a desire to read about the rotating breach airsporter....obviously I could not find the right magazine!
Does anyone know of an online review for this rifle or have any basic information? Ive never seen one and my curiosity is killing me now that I have a few hours spare to read....
Thanks in advance....is it different from the other BSA underlever with a rotating breach?

The Airsporter is called an RB2. I have an immaculate, boxed one which is a joy to shoot.
There is also one version of the Stutzen which has a rotating breech, I believe.

In my opinion it is an excellent solution to the challenge of getting a pellet into an underlever; it is completely safe - unlike the AATX/Weihrauch 77/97 sliding guillotine arrangement, but it does not suffer from potential alignment/sealing issues as can the old tap arrangements.

I'm not sure if I have any further info but if I find any, I'll post it on here.

[pennineway.fswo]

Hi
As Paul says they are a joy to shoot and the breech design which is shared with the SuperStar is very clever and well engineered

This clever breech also doubles as a safety device as in previous Airsporters (ie. the rifle is safe until such time as the breech is rotated back into the closed position)
The rifle has perhaps 1 flaw in that it does not have an anti-bear trap, and as the trigger is not a true 2 stage one, then setting it to achieve a very light pull weight (without a safe and sufficient sear engagement) can lead to a rap on the knuckles on loading if the sear slips. However I have not experienced this on my RB2
Despite this, the trigger has a nice feel to it and my .22 RB2 is a very accurate rifle at long range
My RB 2 is up there with my Mk1 Airsporter as a favourite rifle
I spotted an article on the RB2 last night when browsing the web
If I can find the link I will post it
John

[pennineway.fswo]

RB2 is in Article B


Other members may well enjoy the air rifle and pistol reviews in the other articles. Something for everyone
Enjoy

http://www.cinedux.com/airgun-articles-b.php

John

[corvids]

Hi, I'm about to refurbish my old and neglected mk1 Airsporter. It's interesting to note that the rotating breach is one part that needs no work, despite being a 1948 air rifle, that part of the mechanism is working fine and well sealed when closed. It's the trigger mechanism that needs work alonmg with a dodgy cocking action.

A question from me here (if I can hijack the thread for a moment ) - What sort of muzzle energy are you guys with airsporters getting?

Thanks

Nigel

[Airsporter1st]

RB2 is in Article B


Other members may well enjoy the air rifle and pistol reviews in the other articles. Something for everyone
Enjoy

http://www.cinedux.com/airgun-articles-b.php

John

Great link, John - I'm going to be occupied for a while!

[Gamocfx]

Hi, thanks for all the info-Trevs scrap book is amazing! Didnt know that a Stutzen version existed, I wonder if they sold many?
Good new look to the site as well

[Airsporter1st]

Hi, I'm about to refurbish my old and neglected mk1 Airsporter. It's interesting to note that the rotating breach is one part that needs no work, despite being a 1948 air rifle, that part of the mechanism is working fine and well sealed when closed. It's the trigger mechanism that needs work alonmg with a dodgy cocking action.

A question from me here (if I can hijack the thread for a moment ) - What sort of muzzle energy are you guys with airsporters getting?

Thanks

Nigel

The rotating breech that you have is tnot the rotating breech referred to in this thread. Yours rotates about an axis perpendicular to the barrel, whereas the RB2 breech rotates about the barrel axis.

I have just bought a Mk1 and found that the trigger is loose on its pin to a degree that the gun would not cock reliably. I have fixed it by incorporating a further spring between the front of the sear and the trigger block. This causes the sear to move under the catch much more positively. The real cure would be to restore the fit of the components, but I am convinced that even with an 'as new' trigger, this mod would give a more positive action.

A mk1 in good nick is likely to put out around 9.5 to 10.5 ft/lb. From what I have read and understand there is not much point in trying for more.

[Arch.Stanton?]

The Rolling breach RB2 design was introduced in the early 90's on the Airsporter and its variant Stutzen models . Then later at the end of the decade on the single shot Superstar design .

[MattyBoy]

The rotating breech that you have is tnot the rotating breech referred to in this thread. Yours rotates about an axis perpendicular to the barrel, whereas the RB2 breech rotates about the barrel axis.

I have just bought a Mk1 and found that the trigger is loose on its pin to a degree that the gun would not cock reliably. I have fixed it by incorporating a further spring between the front of the sear and the trigger block. This causes the sear to move under the catch much more positively. The real cure would be to restore the fit of the components, but I am convinced that even with an 'as new' trigger, this mod would give a more positive action.

A mk1 in good nick is likely to put out around 9.5 to 10.5 ft/lb. From what I have read and understand there is not much point in trying for more.

I agree that 10.5 is about optimum.

My Mk1 .22 was fitted with a "power" spring before I got it and puts out 11.6 with Original Eley Wasps but it is not exactly easly to cock or smooth on recoil

I am about to overhaul it and fit an original spring and at the same time I will do the Chambers nylon+O-ring piston seal conversion.

Cheers
Matty

[corvids]

Thanks for the information on output. I need to strip my Mk1 and see how bad it is! I know the trigger mech is a problem. You have to manually push it forwards to allow the sear to drop into place when cocking it. If I remember correctly theres a sort of simple hair grip spring which locates in a groove somewhere! It's years since I looked inside.Also there's still the leather washer etc. I don't want to hijack this thread any more so I'll start a new one when I strip the beast.

Right now I'm economising by switching off the freezer and leaving the contents in my workshop so I doubt I'll be in there for a while

[Gamocfx]

Good luck with the strip and work on the Airsporter....I would never risk it! Does the airsporter have to have a special scope mount like a Mercury??

[corvids]

I have stripped it a few times, but many years ago now! Actually it's pretty simple apart from the gymnastics involved in screwing the rear end in on top of the spring!

The Mk1 has no scope mount. Funny really, very few air rifles when I were a lad had scopes, they were expensive and the domain of deer stalkers and the like. I learned to shoot on open sights and apart from some rimfire and centrefire weapons have always operated with them quite successfully.

Having just bought an HW77 with obligatory scope, it will be interesting

[deebee]

Hi, thanks for all the info-Trevs scrap book is amazing! Didnt know that a Stutzen version existed, I wonder if they sold many?
Good new look to the site as well

There's a photo of one in my signature if you're interested
Dave

[Arch.Stanton?]

I changed the spring on my Airsporter ...managed to unscrew the trigger block easily but getting it back was a bit of a faff ....should have used a sash clamp . There is not that much spring compression but those threads on the end of the chamber are very verrrry sharp and blodied my fingers raw .
By comparison the later Rb2 type use three hex bolts - easy peasy , and takes less than 5 minutes to do a spring swop .