Old BSA?

[Iain D]

Could anyone help with a date and a model for an old rifle serial no L21637, it is in .177 and in reasonable state. It does shoot and the tap smooth and tight.
I know without pics a value is difficult, there is no etching visible on the cylinder, the butt stock is in good condition and the wood plug looks to be original, screw heads have not been mullered either. Sights look to be complete too

any info appreciated

Iain D

[bsa-nige]

prefix with an L all I can see is an light pattern standard air rifle 1919-1936

but I could be wrong no doubt someone with more info than me will put you right

[bsa-nige]

just beat me to it

[Phil Russell]

Going by the number and Hiller book, could be 1923/24.
Lovely rifles, very easy to work on. I recently rejuvenated a 1926 one; new leather piston washer etc but still with original BSA spring and giving c. 480 fps or so. Is it a 2 or 3 hole trigger block?

Cheers, Phil

[edbear2]

Can't add anything to the answers already viz a viz date and model, but here is a link to some similar guns so you can compare yours;

http://www.network54.com/Forum/67044...A%26quot%3B%29

Great little guns, they normally are amongst the nicest to shoot of the BSA's of this period, and can be remarkably accurate at garden ranges.

ATB, ED

[Iain D]

Thanks for all the replies I'm sure it is a 2 hole trigger block, I will get another look at it on Thursday. anybody like to give me a ball park figure as to what it would be worth. I did get a shot with it so it is in firing condition, just a very light pitting over the metalwork.

Thanks

Iain

[edbear2]

Thanks for all the replies I'm sure it is a 2 hole trigger block, I will get another look at it on Thursday. anybody like to give me a ball park figure as to what it would be worth. I did get a shot with it so it is in firing condition, just a very light pitting over the metalwork.

Thanks

Iain

Hi Iain, I would strongly advise, if you don't know the history of this gun, that you pop the back off and check the piston washer area. These guns often have had all sorts of abuse over the years, and although it may seem quiet and smooth to shoot, I have had several over the years that on stripping have had at best a loose washer screw, but at worse several needle bearings () embedded in the washer which had wrecked the cylinder wall. This "worst" case gun was still fairly quiet, but was low on power (250 fps instead of 550-600).

It is the work of moments to do, remove the trigger guard, pull the trigger back a tad to clear the corresponding notch in the cylinder (not always needed), and simply unscrew the stock and trigger block as a unit (best done standing up with the muzzle to the floor, protected by a bit of carpet or similar). Very little preload on these and easy to control as the block clears the cylinder.

You then disconnect the shorter cocking arm link, and push back the piston as far as you can whilst still able to withdraw the cocking link from the slot, then use the link to hook out the now exposed piston rod.

Will take less time than reading this!...Check the washer is sound and the slotted screw is snug, and get a torch and check the cylinder for foreign bodies.

The correct (and obvious) procedure for loading these is to cock the action, and THEN open the tap and load, but you would be amazed how many people over the years may have loaded (hopefully a pellet!) first, then cocked the gun, sucking the item back into the chamber.

I have just done a BSA Standard , which someone said was low powered, and it must have had 10-12 pellets crushed at the end of the cylinder and embedded into what was left of the washer!

I fired one shot with it, it felt not bad, but 170 FPS told it's own tale...

ATB, ED

[Iain D]

Hi Ed,
Thanks for the advise, I will try and get a good look at the rifle on Thursday. If I can get it stripped down and look for the points you have raised. I will also put it over a chrono and that will give me a good idea of spring and washer condition.
If it appears to function well then I could see a restoration project on the cards, mind you I'm never too sure of how far to take them, polish every thing or leave as is!

Thanks again Ed

Iain.

[edbear2]

Hi Ed,
Thanks for the advise, I will try and get a good look at the rifle on Thursday. If I can get it stripped down and look for the points you have raised. I will also put it over a chrono and that will give me a good idea of spring and washer condition.
If it appears to function well then I could see a restoration project on the cards, mind you I'm never too sure of how far to take them, polish every thing or leave as is!

Thanks again Ed

Iain.

Hi again...The standard I did was a dark / red rust brown all over, and the stock was dusty and bone dry, It did look a mess. The best thing to do is give the metalwork a good, but gentle going over with 0000 wire wool soaked in oil, clearing away the slurry with a cloth as you go, obviously don't go to bare metal!

Then you will see what you have...you can either then give it a good going over with an oily cloth, or repeat the wire process lightly, but not going length ways, go around the gun in the same direction in which it polished originally, but with blueing solution soaked in the wool...This can slightly darken the whole gun and look quite good, but does not always work, if a decent even patina don't bother.

Stock is normal CCL cleaner, followed by stock conditioner to give a good "honest" appearance.

The above is best unless you have heavy pitting, you will be really surprised how this can transform a gun. The owner of the standard was over the moon and said it was transformed, when in fact it just took an hour or so of careful cleaning and oiling. A sofy brass brush used gently is handy for those nooks and crannies, and the rearsight normally benefits from a good rake out too..many are tight only because of dried oil / dirt.

I have polished them in the past when really corroded, but you will destroy any value to a collector as 99% prefer an original item, even if the original finish has "gone over".

ATB, ED