BSA Scorpion .22 pistol won't cock?

[Nocrimp]

Hi,

Does anyone have any idea what's wrong please?

I have a BSA Scorpion and it won't cock properly.

The Barrel breaks and you can just feel the start of the spring tension but the action sticks there and won't move to allow compression of the spring?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

[Inspector 71]

This could be a degraded piston buffer. A known problem. Sounds like it needs a full strip and partial rebuild. Not an expensive fix though.

[ggggr]

Hi,

Does anyone have any idea what's wrong please?

I have a BSA Scorpion and it won't cock properly.

The Barrel breaks and you can just feel the start of the spring tension but the action sticks there and won't move to allow compression of the spring?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

It could be a few things, but what it often is, is the safety spring (CS165) https://www.gunspares.co.uk/products/24706/Mk2/ needs adjusting.
On these guns, part of the trigger mechanism passes through the flat cut out in the round safety (Sf020). If this is indexed wrong then the gun will not cock. To adjust it, you have to bend the tang on the safety spring, which looks a bit like an R with a tail on. They can fly miles when you are trying to do them. There is a bit of a strip down guide in the "Idiots guide" in the collectable section but it does not really cover the trigger. NOBODY likes doing the triggers on these. You will need a metric allen key to undo the screw in the frame to get the action out of the frame as well as undoing the phillips at the back and removing the safety catch lever.

[oliver13]

On mine it was a degenerated buffer washer, I left it in the drawer for a few months & when I took it out it wouldn't cock, exactly how you describe.



The picture shows the piston with. degraded buffer washer, when I eventually got it out, & a pristine new one - only about 3 quid.

The job isn't dificult, more fiddly, but I wouldn't call it an easy fix.

I would say it's a good idea to renew that washer on any BSA gun that has it, Airsporters, Mercury's etc. regardless of how it's behaving,Those guns must be 30 odd years old now & that special buffer washer plastic seems to start to fail around 20...

[u.k.neil]

I will go with a collapsed buffer washer as well.

Neil

[paul4be]

Another vote for the buffer washer.

When you strip it, remove the trigger mech in 1 unit by removing the 4 screws, don't try and strip the mech as well

[Nocrimp]

Thank you so much for the great advice...

I have had a go at disassembling the Scorpion.

I have removed the stock and the trigger group :-)

One more question ... how do I remove the piston and spring?
Looks like there's a cross brace strut at the rear... does that unscrew from the cylinder or is there anohter way to disassemble?

Lastly, however it comes apart, is it is under loads of tension so is there a way to safely remove and refit it?

Many thanks for taking the time to assist.. looks like a nice pistol and I'd love to get it working.

[ggggr]

Thank you so much for the great advice...

I have had a go at disassembling the Scorpion.

I have removed the stock and the trigger group :-)

One more question ... how do I remove the piston and spring?
Looks like there's a cross brace strut at the rear... does that unscrew from the cylinder or is there anohter way to disassemble?

Lastly, however it comes apart, is it is under loads of tension so is there a way to safely remove and refit it?

Many thanks for taking the time to assist.. looks like a nice pistol and I'd love to get it working.

If you now have the trigger housing off the pistol, you should be able to check it out by trying to cock the mechanism. Watch out for the safety spring on the RHS flying off. Put your safety catch button back on the mechanism and then you should be able to set the trigger by gently pulling back on the hammer (SF14) here https://www.gunspares.co.uk/shopdisp...=24706&Search=
If it pulls right back and sets the trigger and the safety, then knock off the safety and pull the trigger. Repeat a few times to check it is ok. If it is, then leave well alone and strip the cylinder as others have suggested (worth doing anyway).
If you cannot cock the mechanism as I have described, then it is time to adjust that safety spring as I mentioned in the other post.

[paul4be]

There is a thread of Guy's in collectables with a strip guide, read the bottom of page 3

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....s-(pt-1)/page3

[Nocrimp]

Thank you so much... that's brilliant.

The trigger cocks and fires and the safety works, just that the the cylinder will not push back, so it certainly looks like the pistol washer.

I am very grateful for your help and advice.