BSA Air Rifle (First Batch - 1905) Lincoln Jeffries patent, Serial 1946

**chieffool** · 06-03-2015, 03:13 PM

I am now the proud and delighted custodian of this lovely air rifle, with many thanks to her previous owner the honourable 'Pegasus'.
From what i can glean (via The excellent Vintage BSA Air Rifle Gallery administered by Garvin) this beautiful gun was built between September and December 1905 - and even though she is nearly 110 years old, this is an absolutely sweet and accurate gun to shoot. Still getting used to her, but happily plinking 1" groups at 12 yds while sipping the odd beverage in the sunshine.

Hopefully you will enjoy the pictures just taken in my garden. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!

http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...c6z2j.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...nxoqq.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...m29i7.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...rauko.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...4qgtr.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...v3loc.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...oc64x.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...w3bj3.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...jtrim.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...gis1v.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...p0svg.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...xkglf.jpg.html
http://s296.photobucket.com/user/chi...i4raz.jpg.html

(....and hopefully i've copied these links correctly and you'll be able to see the pics... presumably that's the correct way of doing it?)

**Garvin** · 06-03-2015, 03:21 PM

Stunning pics, Richard. Well done!

**chieffool** · 06-03-2015, 06:22 PM

Many thanks for loading them up onto your B.S.A Vintage Airguns Gallery. Just had a look. Exhalted company - honoured.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/670443/

SO... Isn't it extraordinary that after 110 years and thousands and thousands of guns produced through the BSA factory, that my air rifle serial no: 1946 should sit within the same gallery as another you have photographed which is serial no: 1957.

That's only 11 guns apart - might have even been assembled on the same bench - and probably on the same day!

**isobar** · 06-03-2015, 06:38 PM

looks to be a very nice old rifle,i have an old bsa standard and it is a treat to shoot and very accurate with the right pellets.of all the rifles i own this has to be the quietest but it still packs a punch.i shoot mine from the garden into the back of the garage at 20yds,1" groups now i am used to it.glad you are enjoying yours. atb

**chieffool** · 06-03-2015, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by isobar

looks to be a very nice old rifle,i have an old bsa standard and it is a treat to shoot and very accurate with the right pellets.of all the rifles i own this has to be the quietest but it still packs a punch.i shoot mine from the garden into the back of the garage at 20yds,1" groups now i am used to it.glad you are enjoying yours. atb

'enjoying it'.... i love it! What a sweet little gun.

**Abasmajor** · 06-03-2015, 08:26 PM

Hi,

Congratulations on being the new owner of what looks like a superb example of these lovely old air rifles.

For some reason I much prefer the straight hand stock rifles and myself have a few later straight hand Mod Ds in Junior, Light & Standard sizes. Although the straight hand rifles were cheaper at the time, there seem to be far more pistol hand rifles than straight out there, which all seems a bit strange.

Regards

Brian

**BadPigeon** · 06-03-2015, 09:17 PM

Now that is just plain spooky. My is serial 1929 straight stock so 17 guns apart all three were probably on the same bench the same day what are the chances. And yes lovely rifles amazing accuracy considering the age. One of my guilty pleasures prefere shooting this rifle over any other😜

**chieffool** · 07-03-2015, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by BadPigeon

Now that is just plain spooky. My is serial 1929 straight stock so 17 guns apart all three were probably on the same bench the same day what are the chances. And yes lovely rifles amazing accuracy considering the age. One of my guilty pleasures prefere shooting this rifle over any other😜

Well 'howdy' bench neighbour.

Can I ask: which pellets?
My best so far (tried purely by chance) are RWS / 6.9 gr Super H Point. Accurate and ridiculously consistent 678 fps (+/- 5fps).
Incidentally: the original pellet quoted in the BSA owners manual was 10gr!

(Just find it hard to believe how nice this is to shoot)

**daveh** · 07-03-2015, 09:31 AM

Hi All if any one is interested I am the proud owner of Serial 1250. Pistol gripped .177 Good condition, no rust, excellent shooter. Small world ,init. Regards Daveh

**Abasmajor** · 07-03-2015, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by chieffool

Well 'howdy' bench neighbour.

Can I ask: which pellets?
My best so far (tried purely by chance) are RWS / 6.9 gr Super H Point. Accurate and ridiculously consistent 678 fps (+/- 5fps).
Incidentally: the original pellet quoted in the BSA owners manual was 10gr!

(Just find it hard to believe how nice this is to shoot)

For information, all of my .177 BSA Mod Ds seem to prefer lighter pistol weight pellets and perform best with H&N Finale Match. RWS Hobby provide a reasonable and much cheaper option.

Regards

Brian

edbear2 · 07-03-2015, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by chieffool

Well 'howdy' bench neighbour.

Can I ask: which pellets?
My best so far (tried purely by chance) are RWS / 6.9 gr Super H Point. Accurate and ridiculously consistent 678 fps (+/- 5fps).
Incidentally: the original pellet quoted in the BSA owners manual was 10gr!

(Just find it hard to believe how nice this is to shoot)

That looks a nice unmolested honest example which are getting harder to find. I have a Model D in similar cosmetic condition, ie. showing it's age and patina well, but not having original bright finish. This is one of the best shooting guns I have, and I would not swap it for a mint one that did not perform as well if offered.

A large part of the satisfaction (well 99.9% in may case) of owning a rifle is that it shoots well!...I too have found the lighter pellets go very well in these at garden ranges, with Hobby (and R10 when I feeling extravagant

) both performing well. However the ones it REALLY likes are Webley G.P. pellets which I got a supply in from Chris (formally HWVixen on here) up at the Melbourne fayre.

These were essentially Wasps re-badged I understood, yet I don't know if Webley were more fussy, or the batches were more closely inspected by Eley, because they shoot far better than similar period Wasps I have tried in the same gun

I am sure he has a fair stock of these, so if you are going up to Melbourne, or know someone who is, It might be worth getting a couple of tins to try.

They may not suit yours, but if they do they are the quietest / smoothest feeling ones, with the best long range accuracy in my example anyway, and I have tried the lot including period BSA pellets through this rifle!

ATB, Ed

**BadPigeon** · 07-03-2015, 08:45 PM

For plinking i use RWS superfield or down the club RWS match for paper punching.

**chieffool** · 08-03-2015, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by daveh

Hi All if any one is interested I am the proud owner of Serial 1250. Pistol gripped .177 Good condition, no rust, excellent shooter. Small world ,init. Regards Daveh

Congrats. You beat me by weeks and weeks in production terms. Can we have some pics please? Would really like to compare 'details' (checkering, loading tap, text and stamps in metal and stock, both sights and serial number). And also, the spring 'at rest' viewed through the cocking slot (as per one of my pics). Out of interest - is there a small leaf spring under the screw on your rear sight? I'm sure i've seen somewhere there should be one.

And also: where and when did you find it? (NOTE: must remember to ask pegasus who was previous owner of mine the same question)

**chieffool** · 08-03-2015, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by Abasmajor

For information, all of my .177 BSA Mod Ds seem to prefer lighter pistol weight pellets and perform best with H&N Finale Match. RWS Hobby provide a reasonable and much cheaper option.

Regards

Brian

....sorry.... Brian.....did you say: "ALL..."?

**chieffool** · 08-03-2015, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by edbear2

That looks a nice unmolested honest example which are getting harder to find. I have a Model D in similar cosmetic condition, ie. showing it's age and patina well, but not having original bright finish. This is one of the best shooting guns I have, and I would not swap it for a mint one that did not perform as well if offered.

A large part of the satisfaction (well 99.9% in may case) of owning a rifle is that it shoots well!...I too have found the lighter pellets go very well in these at garden ranges, with Hobby (and R10 when I feeling extravagant

) both performing well. However the ones it REALLY likes are Webley G.P. pellets which I got a supply in from Chris (formally HWVixen on here) up at the Melbourne fayre.

These were essentially Wasps re-badged I understood, yet I don't know if Webley were more fussy, or the batches were more closely inspected by Eley, because they shoot far better than similar period Wasps I have tried in the same gun

I am sure he has a fair stock of these, so if you are going up to Melbourne, or know someone who is, It might be worth getting a couple of tins to try.

They may not suit yours, but if they do they are the quietest / smoothest feeling ones, with the best long range accuracy in my example anyway, and I have tried the lot including period BSA pellets through this rifle!

ATB, Ed

Dear Ed,
...L5495...'engraved and inlaid' Light?
That is a spectacular example of the art of gun finishing. Extraordinarily beautiful.

Thread: BSA Air Rifle (First Batch - 1905) Lincoln Jeffries patent, Serial 1946

Thread Tools

Display

BSA Air Rifle (First Batch - 1905) Lincoln Jeffries patent, Serial 1946

Posting Permissions