1985 BSA Challenger, does this count as a collectable?

[stephenmhall]

Hi Guys, new member and I must admit I am mainly looking for sales information here, I have the joy of living in Scotland where my childhood air rifle is about to become an illegal weapon, and as it has been in a cupboard for the last 28 years I doubt I would be allowed a license. So it has to go but no way am I giving up for destruction if someone south of the border has a better use for it.

I could not find matching pictures of it on the interwebs but a quick email to BSA got me the model from the serial number. It is a 1985/86 Challenger carbine .22 I suspect it was 1985 when I bought it as I would have been 18 then. Very low use at the time and hardly used in the last 28 years. I have made some enquiries with an airgun dealer and he has offered £175 if I posted it and I wondered if that was a fair price?

Looking through the forum here it seems it might be a bit of a collectors item.

I hope I am not breaking any of the forum rules by posting this as my first post, any info most welcome.

Oh, a picture says a thousand words. Hopefully google pictures work here.

https://goo.gl/photos/uW438QCt1xGgw9mP8

[guy]

Hi mate, looks a nice clean gun with open sights and period scope, would say 250-275 people step to,hang on to it a week or so or 225-250 posted to shift it quicker.

[hookerball]

250- 300 all day, any day if it is in the nick as the photo looks. Never seen this particular model in carbine.

[stephenmhall]

Cheers Guy, aye the scope was bought at the same time, its a Shrike 6x40 if that means anything to anyone.
https://goo.gl/photos/ixPjwTvVbxrck73R7

[Josie & John]

Hi Stephen,

Really sorry to hear you have the misfortune of being subject of this lousy piece of legislation. Is there no way you can join a club and retain the Challenger? I had one years ago and wish I'd kept it.

As to value, £175 from a dealer is not a bad offer. As has been said on this thread, a private sale could net you a little more, so you could always try and advertise it on the sales section of this site (I think you need to have a minimum number of posts before you can post a sales thread though).

Best of luck, whatever you decide.

John

[gingernut]

That's a desirable rareish BSA.
Sell it privately for prices stated above.

[slug-gun]

Why can't you get the relevant licence, and keep it as a collector's item, like all the other Scottish collectors are going to do? As far as I understand it the new laws don't prevent that?

[stephenmhall]

Why can't you get the relevant licence, and keep it as a collector's item, like all the other Scottish collectors are going to do? As far as I understand it the new laws don't prevent that?

slug-gun, I might look into that, the application forms only became available at the beginning of the month so I have not had a chance to look over them yet in much detail. Apparently it will be technically easier to get a full firearms license for a shotgun than an Air rifle license.

The Police have had handed in upwards of 6000 Airguns so maybe only 494000 left out there going on government guesses. I can't actually see everyone who might have an Air rifle or pistol who wants a license managing to get one before Dec 31st. I recently spoke to two cops who are going to be responsible for the licensing, I said I might apply just to see what happens, to say that they would prefer it if I didn't would be an understatement. With the formation of Police Scotland they got rid of most of the Firearms licensing guys and dropped it on regular cops and "community officers".

The sound you hear is me not holding my breath.

[johnbaz]

Hi Stephen

It's a bugger what they're doing in Scotland mate

I have a standard Mercury Challenger and love the gun, It had just been serviced with new parts at a local gunshop and shoots beautifully!!

I think I paid £175 for mine some years ago..

Good luck getting a ticket for it



John

[Blackrider]

Would wholeheartedly agree with what's been said above, register it, keep it and enjoy it !
I searched long and hard some years back for a Challenger and eventually bought two.
Never seen a carbine though and you bought it new !
Brilliant, hang on to it !