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

[chieffool]

...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
...
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

i tried the WASPs before my current selection, as well as Defiant from Pegasus before i settled on the current RWS Super H Point. I could actually hear the difference on the WASPS from pellet to pellet. I'll see if i can track down the Hobby (and R10) as well as the Webley GP to try.
cheers

[edbear2]

i tried the WASPs before my current selection, as well as Defiant from Pegasus before i settled on the current RWS Super H Point. I could actually hear the difference on the WASPS from pellet to pellet. I'll see if i can track down the Hobby (and R10) as well as the Webley GP to try.
cheers

Hi, Both the Wasps and Webley G.P. are long (since early 2000's) out of production, the Wasps around now only have the tin colour and picture on top in common, just in case you are unaware....They are a totally different pellet, and ''proper'' ones must have ''ELEY'' and a Birmingham postcode on the tin.

Pellets if stored properly, can last for generations without oxidizing, especially in cardboard boxes, so you can still use N.O.S. types no problem (I have shot 100 year old pellets in tests that perform as well as anything available today in vintage guns, but they are highly collectable so I don't do it regularly!).

Back in the early 1900's, British gun companies, especially BSA, could produce guns with tolerances (when needed) in the 10ths of thousands off an inch. Generally air rifle pellets of the late 1800's /early 1900's were dire, as air rifles were little better than toys in many cases, and many were smoothbore, but the advent of the Lincoln rifle, and it's manufacture by a "proper" company, BSA, who also made their identical, but re-badged version, lead to people taking seriously pellet design and manufacture.

I have weighed and measured small batches of very early Adder and BSA waisted pellets, and weight and dimension tolerances / variations were up there with most modern stuff in terms of accuracy!

The Adder and early BSA pellets were expensive in those days compared to other offerings, but even then people did not mind paying more for the best results...We have not evolved in that respect

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...57608030264100

ATB, ED

[havengore]

It is interesting that on this lovely First batch 1905 the stacked rifle emblem on the barrel behind the rear sight has the letters BSA under the 3 rifles. My 1906 Fifth batch & my 1908 Improved model D only have the 3 stacked rifle emblem without the letters BSA. I wonder if there were a reason for this ?.

ATB,

Simon

[pegasus]

It is interesting that on this lovely First batch 1905 the stacked rifle emblem on the barrel behind the rear sight has the letters BSA under the 3 rifles. My 1906 Fifth batch & my 1908 Improved model D only have the 3 stacked rifle emblem without the letters BSA. I wonder if there were a reason for this ?.

ATB,

Simon

I guess it would be a production decision, the piled arms means BSA and the BSA below was unnecessary considering that the full company name was on the cylinder, and if the small BSA stamp was stamped with a separate stamp that's one less operation per rifle, however this is just a guess on my part.
I had a 1906 LJ stamped "H THE LINCOLN" with the standing man and dog and LJs details etc and it had the three rifles
Stamp behind the rear sight in front of the loading tap,the stamp was bigger and more detailed than any I have seen on a BSA, I can send pics by e mail if this is of interest to anyone

[Abasmajor]

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

Hi,

I have five Improved Mods Ds all in .177 and dating between 1909 -1911. All have straight hand stocks and include examples of the the three sizes available (Standard, Light & Junior) at the time. I also have a nice transitional light pattern which is mainly Mod D, but has very early post WW1 lockwork dating it to 1919.

All of these rifles shoot well and are a pleasure to use and own. They all perform best using a high quality, light (pistol) weight flat head pellet and still consistently produce sub one inch groups unsupported at 25yds.

Glad you are enjoying your own rifle, but be careful as you might not be able to resist adding to the collection.

Regards

Brian

[havengore]

I guess it would be a production decision, the piled arms means BSA and the BSA below was unnecessary considering that the full company name was on the cylinder, and if the small BSA stamp was stamped with a separate stamp that's one less operation per rifle, however this is just a guess on my part.
I had a 1906 LJ stamped "H THE LINCOLN" with the standing man and dog and LJs details etc and it had the three rifles
Stamp behind the rear sight in front of the loading tap,the stamp was bigger and more detailed than any I have seen on a BSA, I can send pics by e mail if this is of interest to anyone

Interesting indeed, my 1907 Lincoln Jeffries ‘H’ also has the stacked rifles stamp behind the rear sight. Looking at examples of on Garvin’s wonderful site, there are examples of both barrel stamps with & without the BSA lettering & stock stamps with & without the BSA lettering. I wonder why they switched between the two.

In the copy I have of “The book of the BSA Air Rifle (illustrated) c1911…. It pictures all the available models (standard, light, junior & improved model D) with the 3 rifle & lettered stock stamp. The book admittedly is the “Colonial and Foreign Edition”, I wonder if they changed between marks on pieces for export…

[chieffool]

I guess it would be a production decision, the piled arms means BSA and the BSA below was unnecessary considering that the full company name was on the cylinder, and if the small BSA stamp was stamped with a separate stamp that's one less operation per rifle, however this is just a guess on my part.
I had a 1906 LJ stamped "H THE LINCOLN" with the standing man and dog and LJs details etc and it had the three rifles
Stamp behind the rear sight in front of the loading tap,the stamp was bigger and more detailed than any I have seen on a BSA, I can send pics by e mail if this is of interest to anyone

John
email the pics to me and i'll post them up for you on my photobucket account.
[lovely day for garden plinking]. best, R

[chieffool]

Hi,

I have five Improved Mods Ds all in .177 and dating between 1909 -1911. All have straight hand stocks and include examples of the the three sizes available (Standard, Light & Junior) at the time. I also have a nice transitional light pattern which is mainly Mod D, but has very early post WW1 lockwork dating it to 1919.

All of these rifles shoot well and are a pleasure to use and own. They all perform best using a high quality, light (pistol) weight flat head pellet and still consistently produce sub one inch groups unsupported at 25yds.

Glad you are enjoying your own rifle, but be careful as you might not be able to resist adding to the collection.

Regards

Brian

FIVE...!!
....and (sigh) i know what you mean about the 'pull' of ownership. Perhaps just one more.... maybe just a little .22 (for variety) or something in a dreadful exterior state that i can bring back to life?

[aimless]

Congrats, a real GEM!!!!
Jochen

[Fronteria]

I own number 1319 which has been badly molested but it is slowly being put right another five years and it might be back in action.

[pegasus]

FIVE...!!
....and (sigh) i know what you mean about the 'pull' of ownership. Perhaps just one more.... maybe just a little .22 (for variety) or something in a dreadful exterior state that i can bring back to life?

FIVE, That's about right for a modest collection and if you say it quickly it's not so bad now is it

[chieffool]

FIVE, That's about right for a modest collection and if you say it quickly it's not so bad now is it

Actually - having read through a large number of previous posts on the forum, I am beginning to realize that to some people "5" is probably just a starting point....

[pegasus]

Actually - having read through a large number of previous posts on the forum, I am beginning to realize that to some people "5" is probably just a starting point....

You are not having a " jeezuz what I'm I getting into" moment are you?, this is perfectly normal and you will recover quickly J

[chieffool]

call it an 'epiphany'...
...realisation just settling in - and just a little scared of that moment (fast approaching) where i am going to have to be honest, standup and say:
"My name is Richard - and i'm an airgun collector!"

QUESTION: which is the gun you own which - if you were truly told you could ONLY choose one - is THE one you would keep?

[Abasmajor]

QUESTION: which is the gun you own which - if you were truly told you could ONLY choose one - is THE one you would keep?[/QUOTE]

Hello,

Here are my three different size BSA Mod Ds and my favourite 1909 Standard Pattern fitted with the No 12 aperture sight. I find the larger Standard Pattern easier to shoot accurately and the No 12 sight helps with my ageing eyesight.

http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/...psf0cf589c.jpg

http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/...psvqc3ak6e.jpg

http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/...psalifzt3i.jpg

Regards

Brian