BSA Mercury Challenger

[pukey]

Wow,

Nice to read that my first air rifle has such a good reputation, I too recently blew the dust off mine, It having resided with my Dad for a number of years. It's still in good nick mind, there was a little rust on the cylinder and on cleaning it off I removed a little patch of the blueing unfortunately, on further inspection I noticed the damage to the stock that was caused by the plastic and metal cocking linkage breaking, I promised myself that I would tidy that up 20 years ago, think I'll leave it as is to remind my self of the heart break I felt at the time (lasted for months).

It kept a couple of Ferrets fed over the years, I was up an hour before I left for school most days in the upstairs window shooting breakfast for them, best alarm clock my mother ever bought me! Neither ever accepted crows or magpies and I never offered them the rats!

This said about four years ago I had a place in the sticks and fed myself a number of times with rabbits and pigeons using it, but they where all taken at less than 20 yards.

I have been shooting it a little recently, since I bought a place with a 42 yard garden and compared to my HW98 it handles beautifully and feels lighter than it is, it's not as smooth in it's operation and no where near as powerful though.

I tested it on a chrono recently and from memory it was only producing 7 or 8 ftlb's,

-I would like to rebuild it and get it to 12, is this posible?
-How much would it cost to refinish the action?
-And can I make it as smooth as the HW?

I can't sell it, I'm sure that some of you understand! It would be really great if one day I could feel confident in it enough to take it out hunting again! I probably had to much confidence in it and myself as a child, coupled with slightly less compassion than I should have had, that said I was never cruel and always conscientious!

Any one got any guides to rebuilding and tuning it?

Cheers Luke

[look no hands]

Wow,

Nice to read that my first air rifle has such a good reputation, I too recently blew the dust off mine, It having resided with my Dad for a number of years. It's still in good nick mind, there was a little rust on the cylinder and on cleaning it off I removed a little patch of the blueing unfortunately, on further inspection I noticed the damage to the stock that was caused by the plastic and metal cocking linkage breaking, I promised myself that I would tidy that up 20 years ago, think I'll leave it as is to remind my self of the heart break I felt at the time (lasted for months).

It kept a couple of Ferrets fed over the years, I was up an hour before I left for school most days in the upstairs window shooting breakfast for them, best alarm clock my mother ever bought me! Neither ever accepted crows or magpies and I never offered them the rats!

This said about four years ago I had a place in the sticks and fed myself a number of times with rabbits and pigeons using it, but they where all taken at less than 20 yards.

I have been shooting it a little recently, since I bought a place with a 42 yard garden and compared to my HW98 it handles beautifully and feels lighter than it is, it's not as smooth in it's operation and no where near as powerful though.

I tested it on a chrono recently and from memory it was only producing 7 or 8 ftlb's,

-I would like to rebuild it and get it to 12, is this posible?
-How much would it cost to refinish the action?
-And can I make it as smooth as the HW?

I can't sell it, I'm sure that some of you understand! It would be really great if one day I could feel confident in it enough to take it out hunting again! I probably had to much confidence in it and myself as a child, coupled with slightly less compassion than I should have had, that said I was never cruel and always conscientious!

Any one got any guides to rebuilding and tuning it?

Cheers Luke

Send the whole rifle to Tony at Sandwell Field Sports (0121 5202000) and he will do everything for you, my original Challenger I had was a mess when I first got it and he tuned it and reblued it and after I had refinished the stock it looked and shot perfect, my new one will be going up soon for a tune up.

Pete

[bootneckbob]

I've just been out with mine tonight, after zeroing my dads prosport. It's bloody lovely!
I'm going to put it up on the wall at home when I get back at the weekend, the Mrs has already ok'd it too! It's far to good looking to be kept hidden away.

Has it actually got a 2 stage trigger? I thought tonight I could just make out a second stage. Previously I'd thought it was a single