A new challenge(er)

[junglie]

After having to sell my 635 magnum last xmas to pay a dentists bill i've missed the bsa mercury as a good shooting bsa springer. So decided to give a .22 challenger a try as it'd been in sales for a week & no one seemed to want it as it was a bit cosmeticly challenged. Well, I got it yesterday & must say it's a lovley gun to shoot & very accurate for a .22 springer. Dates from around the time my 635 was made & the RB carbine i used to own & seems to be a 5.5mm barrel like the RB, so shoots well with hobbys & superdomes & making good power @ 11.55 with hobbys. First shot with the opens hit a redbull can set @ about 40m away, then I had to scope it as the rearsight blade has a lot of play(my 635 was like that too, anyone know how to fix this?) with a little simmons 1.5-5 x 32 8- point in sportsmatch reach back mounts to get correct eye relief (which was the scope I used on my 635 magnum) Had to flip the moving clamps over to fit the maxigrip correctly btw, but great accuracy with the scope fitted. The gun feels like it's barely run in & apart from the usual bsa twang !(which I'll cure with a good fitting guide & tophat) is the best bsa springer I've shot so far, it was a great buy ( Thanks again Guy)

[averageplinker]

Now I know who beat me to her

Enjoy your Challenger. I will have to be quicker off the mark next time!

[junglie]

I certainly am! just tried it with an old tin of webley specials I got given with the mpt I bought recently & it loves them! Apart from the annoying twang & vibration that goes with it this thing is as easy to shoot & as accurate as my HW50s(99s)!!!!! Can only get better once it's had a guide etc sorted & a relube. The webleys are a much better fit in the breach than hobbys & superdomes which were a bit tight to thumb in. Just shredded that red bull can with about 20 shots @ 40m. If it'd been a lightning I'd have been lucky to have hit it at all! Anyone know the weight of the .22 webley specials?

[grieva]

Still have the 635 junglie but rarely used now,I think it wants to come home lol,Stuart.

[averageplinker]

I have a great idea, you buy your 635 back and I buy the challenger which then becomes surplus to requirements.
Hmm, great idea or wishful thinking?

[junglie]

I have a great idea, you buy your 635 back and I buy the challenger which then becomes surplus to requirements.
Hmm, great idea or wishful thinking?

if I ever part with it I'll keep you in mind AP.I put a lot of work into getting that 635 shooting as nice as the challenger is now, but as milbro have gone bust & it only likes rhino's I'll not be having another go thanks stuart. Hows the rust bluing going btw?

[junglie]

Now I know who beat me to her

Enjoy your Challenger. I will have to be quicker off the mark next time!

you had a week mate, i only bought it as I felt sorry for it languising in sales for so long....

[averageplinker]

I have been avoiding temptation by avoiding the sales section

[grieva]

if I ever part with it I'll keep you in mind AP.I put a lot of work into getting that 635 shooting as nice as the challenger is now, but as milbro have gone bust & it only likes rhino's I'll not be having another go thanks stuart. Hows the rust bluing going btw?

Hi junglie,using a pellet sizer but keep my Rhino's for special occasions.Rust bluing again now the weather has changed got a couple of thing to do,winter not a good time for me and my mate Arthur Itiss,hope the nashers are as good as you hoped for all the best,Stuart.

[junglie]

Hi junglie,using a pellet sizer but keep my Rhino's for special occasions.Rust bluing again now the weather has changed got a couple of thing to do,winter not a good time for me and my mate Arthur Itiss,hope the nashers are as good as you hoped for all the best,Stuart.

Know how you feel re -arther, runs in my family & I've had it a long time in my hands. After parting with 3 "keepers" to pay for the treatment the dentist stole my gold crown & ripped me off totally saying i had to pay again for a final set!!! Hope you happy with the spitfire apparently only bowkett has the jig to fix those if they need servicing, pop in anytime your over my way mate, ATB.

[look no hands]

I couldn't believe that no one bought it quicker, I always see wanted ads for Challengers and this one seemed to kick about for ages, I was tempted but already have two, if it had been a minter then it would have been a different story and would have been snapped up, Junglie you probably don't need to be told but when it's in bits give the piston head a service, although it might shoot nice, you never know what's going on in there, so do it now and save yourself a lot of aggro in the future, as we all know what they are like to strip if they seize up because of a Cheshire cheese buffer washer.

The Challenger and the Mercury S was the best Break barrels BSA ever made, shame they replaced it with the Supersport.

Pete

[averageplinker]

Missing this one will inspire me to dig out my mk 1 mercury project for a rebuild and possibly some subtle mods

[junglie]

Pulled the back end apart last night, but the maxigrip didn't want to budge with gentle tapping, so just cleaned the spring & re-lubed it. added some rocol moly paste to the back end to dampen the twang & a couple of slip washers & lube sleeve to the front end. I found the original guide for my 635 magnum & it was a slightly tighter fit so stuck that in & re-asembled it. 45 mins later I was shooting a different gun to the ear & seemed a lot less recoil too. Tested it for accuracy today & it does seem slighly better but sooo much quieter it's a pleasure to shoot. That bsa twang almost makes me wince when I hear it! If I pull it down again I'll be long stroking it if possible & adding a good guide & tophat, but the way it's shooting that may be a while.... Sounds just like my 50s now..Challengers- the new 99s! only 7.5lbs with scope & mounts too.

[averageplinker]

Now you are just gloating

[junglie]

Now you are just gloating

No just surpised it's as easy to hit things with as the 50/99s & light, I'd guessed at least 8lbs scoped by the solid feel of it. (& taking the p**s out of the justly deserved 99s fanclub a wee bit)