tuners, Q about the bsa meteor

[Andy001]

Hi,

In regards to T 20 threads about tuning a b2 meteor. He sleeved the transfer port and put a o ringed piston head on the piston. He said it got it up to 11 ftlb of power.

I know the bsa meteor i have, is fitted with an alloy O ringed piston head, but they only produce 8ft lbs. I've read other forum threads regarding the meteor and they do this sort of power as standard.

I'm not power hungry, but I'd like to ask does anyone know why they only produce this sort of powder. I know they are similar sized to a b2, and they are O ringed as standard, is there issues with the transfer port?? There is a thread in the collectable section about a meteor which has had transfer port modifications.

Thanks for putting up with my clunky questions.

[wonky donky]

There's no issue with transfer port size or the standard factory spring when modifying to legal limit on the MK2 Meteor in .22, the only variant I can personally speak about, & probably not other variants as John Bowkett used the modify this model to the legal limit too. That's not to say modifying the transfer port can't improve the shot cycle as Iv'e not tried!

[Andy001]

There's no issue with transfer port size or the standard factory spring when modifying to legal limit on the MK2 Meteor in .22, the only variant I can personally speak about, & probably not other variants as John Bowkett used the modify this model to the legal limit too. That's not to say modifying the transfer port can't improve the shot cycle as Iv'e not tried!

Sorry for the very late reply. Thank you for the reply. My memory fails me sometimes

[Hsing-ee]

Hi,

In regards to T 20 threads about tuning a b2 meteor. He sleeved the transfer port and put a o ringed piston head on the piston. He said it got it up to 11 ftlb of power.

I know the bsa meteor i have, is fitted with an alloy O ringed piston head, but they only produce 8ft lbs. I've read other forum threads regarding the meteor and they do this sort of power as standard.

I think you are confusing T20's SMK B2 tune with another one on the BSA Meteor.

Bowkett got the BSA Meteor up to 12 ft/lbs in .177 (!) but it was a nasty rifle to shoot (according to eye witnesses) heavily sprung and recoiled harshly.

A well run-in one .22 one in standard fettle and the right pellet will give a good 10 ft/lbs, the .177 about 8.5 ft/lbs.

Jon Budd has a thread on his one somewhere that is doing quite well energy-wise and is pleasant to shoot.

I am converting one of mine to a HW 26mm piston seal, which should give a bit more swept volume and a bit more efficiency. The bore x stroke is smaller than a B2, I've got it written down somewhere... But the potential is for 10 ft/lbs in .22 with a standard spring and transfer port... I know this because my old 1973 model does this, no mods just see alot of shooting and a bit of Dri-Slide. I think there are leakage or 'O'-ring tightness issues with some Meteors, they are made from rolled sheet steel and the compression chambers are rarely truly circular. A parachute seal should seal much better as it is more flexible and forgiving than the 'O' ring... the old leather-seal ones would be quite powerful when run in so I believe. Jon Budd found the piston is too light (another piece of rolled and welded steel sheet) so putting a steel top-hat in might help with power.

I think you can get them going NICELY up to about 10 in .177 and maybe a tad over 11 in .22.

T20s sleeving-down of the SMK B2 port made the little chinese rifle jump from 8.5 to 12 ft/lbs; however there is no similar trick with the BSA Meteor.

[Andy001]

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

I finally dug my meteor out of the cupboard. Different projects keep side lining things, She's sitting at 10ftlbs in .22. Ruining a little rough, It's not had a tune yet in any form.

I was reading a bit of John's thread, I find it all very intriguing. I love learning about tuning and making my rifles work better.

thanks again
Andy

[MrGreengrass]

I had a .22 Meteor with an Asi Paratrooper spring in it many many moons ago...a swine to get in but it did fit whole...worked like the FWB Sport....not bad if i remember right...no idea of power ...no chrono's then..but better than an Airsporter S on the 30 yd brick test...i remember that, he was gutted..

[Shed tuner]

The meteor tube isn't the greatest quality, which is not a good marriage for an o-ring seal (which are quite tube tolerance fussy). Hence the so-so power and the big improvements that can be had changing to a decent (e.g. HW) seal. Once this is done, 'cos it is now sealing properly, you need to add some weight to the piston to stop it bouncing of it's newfound cushion of air. New breach seal (e.g. HW) helps too.

As Wonky said, stock spring is fine - I may have to trim mine in fact

[TonyL]

I had the pleasure of a couple of quick shots with this rifle at last week's Spring Gun Bash, and it really was very, very impressive.

[Shed tuner]

Glad you enjoyed it Tony I'm really loving it myself. Weighs nothing but very mild mannered to shoot.. makes a pleasant change from those TXs when I just want a relaxing plink.

It's almost annoying how BSA could have had so much better a gun had they just stuck a decent seal on it in the first place

[TonyL]

Glad you enjoyed it Tony I'm really loving it myself. Weighs nothing but very mild mannered to shoot.. makes a pleasant change from those TXs when I just want a relaxing plink.

It's almost annoying how BSA could have had so much better a gun had they just stuck a decent seal on it in the first place

And even more frustrating, with the modern guns, that they don't instigate the mods required... As you say, even with the cylinder quality, a better piston and breech seal, barrel pivot BOLT, improve the trigger ( and, on the Lightning reduce the swept volume) and there would be thousands of UK buyers queuing up for one.

It wouldn't take much.

[HOMER]

As has been said previously the tube and Piston weight (or lack of) needs to be adressed, also you will find the Piston face is concave to the cylinder end, which is convex to the Piston face, I have several Mk I, II, III & Mk IV, and all are the same. I face grind the cylinder end and replace the piston head with a Brass/Bronze flat faced O ring type head, I also grind the cylinder true round to remove any tramlines and the weld track at the bottom of the cyl. Word of warning if you do attempt to face the cyl end dont go too far, @3 mm (enough to attain a flush face), as about max. Piston weight needs upping from the 5-6 oz (or thereabouts), but this will be commesurate with the spring input & required power output. Yep graet old Guns, with a really superb Stock design love em!.

Good Shooting
Homer

[Rich]

It's almost annoying how BSA could have had so much better a gun had they just stuck a decent seal on it in the first place

Back in 1964 I bought a second hand early Meteor, and it had a leather washer. It wasn't as nice a rifle as my mate's BSA Airsporter but it shot OK and was powerful enough for what I wanted, living in London.

Some years later the adverts convinced me that I should rip out the leather washer, which was now a bit dog-eared, put in a synthetic washer, and enjoy the increased smoothness, easier cocking, improved cycle and extra power that would follow. They didn't. I kept that rifle until about 1996 and the old leather washer was still doing good service.

[Andy001]

I've met loads of guys over the last few years, alot of them swear by meteors. I read some where Bsa guns of old, were suppose to be a mid range priced gun company, ie cheaper than HW. I don't know if this was true. I do enjoy shooting her, as she holds a place in my heart. Just like my old mini the garage, they have issues but you endear towards them.

[greenwayjames]

The position of the Meteor in the days when they did sell by the thousand per month all over the world is now occupied by cheapo chinese and spanish air rifles. The 1950s and 60s are way gone and will not return. To think that a 21st century BSA Meteor, upgraded or no, would sell by the thousand is ridiculous. This is the real world we live in.

[Hsing-ee]

In 1971 my dad's mate said he shot a rabbit dead at 178 paces with a BSA Meteor, open sights, firing a Champion pellet.

It was later discovered to be an Exaggeration - the story, not the airgun.