The Superior Pre-War BSA

[Hsing-ee]

Which generation or mark or year of production produced the best quality BSA underlever - pre-WW2 I mean. The most accurate and highest quality? I hear tell of the superior fitting of taps from a certain era, which is that?

Like, what is the best vintage for this vintage rifle?

[Lakey]

It all depends on what you are after.......?

Some say the very early Lincolns, and BSA Air Rifle (Lincoln Jeffries Patents) were the best. Those people say that the tap fit, and close tolerances were the best of all the pre-war production,but of course you had to use a pellet seating pin with those early rifles.

Then there are some that say that the zenith of pre-war rifles is represented by the Military Pattern, whose power and long range accuracy are the stuff of BSA collecting legend.

Yet again, others feel that by the time the improved model D came along, all the design faults of the earlier rifles had been ironed out.

For me personally, I feel the very best rifles are represented by the 1913/14 early 'BSA Standards'. I have a wonderful BSA Standard .22 Sporting pattern dating from 1914, with a side button lever and the very earliest style of acid etched model details which I love. It has one of the last pistolhand stocks with hand cut checkering, and yet also has one of the first wooden 'stock bolt covers' which were to become some common on the 1919+ rifles.

Here is a thread which I started on the USA Vintage airgun forum. about that very rifle.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/40594...g+Pattern+1914

Great Thread,I will be interested to see other peoples ideas about the best pre-WW2 rifles??

[Garvin]

There were a few small economies introduced into the rifles produced in the '20s and '30s, compared with pre-WW1 production (ie. pressed steel trigger guards). But I can't see a great deal of difference in fit 'n' finish between any of the pre-1939 BSAs. The quality of materials and workmanship was extremely high in all.

Re. slightly leaky taps, I'm not convinced it makes a huge amount of difference to either power or accuracy, so long as the breech and barrel are properly aligned.

IMO a Club Standard No.1 (ie. 1920s, .177) ranks among the very best of all the various BSA models produced from 1905 onwards, although I do have a soft spot for a straight-hand stocked version of the 45.5" Improved Mod D (built from about 1909).

[Hsing-ee]

Such an elegant design. How much does a useable pre-WW1 Lincoln Jefferies rifle go for?

[Lakey]

Prices vary depending on condition

Rough but useable = £80 - £130

Reasonable = £130-£180

Good = £180-£250

Very good = £ 250-£350

Very good to mint ++++++++


I would class a very good gun as follows

(1) All original parts working as they should - sights in good condition
(2) A good degree of original finish still on the gun and good clear stamping (etching is visible) Sometimes original finished has turned to even patination
(3) Screw heads are not mashed and torn up, and stock is in good condition
(4) Gun is fully working ( goes without saying to some, but with long term storage, these guns often dry out and lose power)

The pre-war BSA underlever design was very solid and can withstand most hard shooting/mild abuse, therefore it is possible to find quite rough (badly rusted) guns that still work perfectly well, and shoot accurately. A quick light rub over with ooo grade wire wool and oil, improves most guns as it removes a certained amount of surface grime and accumulated dirt.

[Lakey]

There were a few small economies introduced into the rifles produced in the '20s and '30s, compared with pre-WW1 production (ie. pressed steel trigger guards). But I can't see a great deal of difference in fit 'n' finish between any of the pre-1939 BSAs. The quality of materials and workmanship was extremely high in all.

Re. slightly leaky taps, I'm not convinced it makes a huge amount of difference to either power or accuracy, so long as the breech and barrel are properly aligned.

IMO a Club Standard No.1 (ie. 1920s, .177) ranks among the very best of all the various BSA models produced from 1905 onwards, although I do have a soft spot for a straight-hand stocked version of the 45.5" Improved Mod D (built from about 1909).

+1 for all of the above ( if there had been two choices, the No.1 Club would have been my second)

[Hsing-ee]

I think I might get a rough one to scope-up like T20's. I'll have a rummage and see what I have to swap....

[leroy02]

the attention to detail was far better in those days like the small spring under the wooden stock plug to air removal great.

[edbear2]

For me personally, I prefer the 43" Imp. Mod D, with either bayonet or side release cocking lever as the best .177, and the 45.5 .22 Improved model D in the same calibre. Purely for aesthetic reasons, with the keeper screws and breech detail, and rolled impressed markings the late guns did not possess. That said, I have a late "flat top" standard with the simplified pivot and crudely stamped "2" on the breech that shoots just as well as my VGC sporting model

[Hsing-ee]

to go Jet Age and invent the Airsporter after WW2? or should they have gone down the full-stock route as Webley and Original Diana did?

[edbear2]

to go Jet Age and invent the Airsporter after WW2? or should they have gone down the full-stock route as Webley and Original Diana did?

The Airsporter, and Cadet etc. range were more a result of the loss of tooling during the wartime bombing of the BSA factory I think, I could imagine that BSA, if they had not had to start again, may well have produced something along the lines of a Webley Mk3, ie. a full stocked standard / light........funnily enough, if you lay a 43" bsa action (sans trigger block) in a Webbo MK3 stock, it does fit nicely.

Don't panic Binners.......I haven't done this!!!........I have thought about it though

Actually the finest (IMHO) model of the Airsporter, the Mark 1 (and club), have pre-war features such as the one piece forged barrel / breech assy, and sights, If only they had also included roll impressed cylinders, and hand chequered stocks with a steel butt plate.......