Pre war bsa improved model repeater

[silva]

Has it ever been established whether this is a genuine BSA prototype, was fabricated by a BSA engineer in house, or was privately fabricated by a skilled engineer ?
Does the magazine advance each time the lever is cocked, or does it require a thumb push ?
I think it was an interesting idea.

Hi I reckon that's almost certainly a home grown conversion, but done by a clever chap non the less. I wonder if it does index ? Can't see how it could though on studying the pics.

[Josie & John]

I'd be very wary of buying anything from Jason Millar after a previous experience. As far as I know, he's not an RFD but a scrap dealer with a sideline in airguns.

John

[edbear2]

Hi I reckon that's almost certainly a home grown conversion, but done by a clever chap non the less. I wonder if it does index ? Can't see how it could though on studying the pics.

Looking at it I would say at a guess that the tap has been either fixed in position or removed and the void filled, Then a square hole put through. The reloading operation is a block of steel which has been drilled and has indents above each drilling which are located by a radius ended plunger which is in turn loaded by a puny looking (possibly not contemporary as the rest looks so solid) spring held in place by a commercial slotted dome head drilled and tapped through the cylinder into the threaded area of the barrel forging underneath.

The top bit holding the plunger has been turned up and screwed onto the loading tap area which has been milled flat.

So reloading is by pushing the block against the resistance of the spring until it clicks into position. Wish there was a photo from the right to confirm this, but I can't see any other option.

It's a fairly basic bit of engineering skill wise (the hardest part is always the idea!) which I would say has been done by someone in engineering, or with the skill and access to a lathe / mill. Obviously has some age to it though.

I think in Hillers he refers to these home improved guns (guilty myself!) as items which either do well or bomb at auction depending on the view of the potential new owner, ie "original gun ruined" or "that's unique".

Original BSA? I would say not due to the cylinder extension and butt plate, both of which are very basic, but the repeating part looks pretty well done apart from the awefull spring which looks like an afterthought in every way and which a BSA factory design would surely have incorporated into the attachment atop the breech.

I suppose we will never know, but I would have thought a patent / drawings would be out there (which I can't find at least) as exist with other BSA designs which sadly never made it but which have been re-created by engineers;

http://www.network54.com/Forum/67044...ffries+airguns

I wonder where the inspiration came from for the sliding magazine...My first thought was Webley starting pistol!

ATB, Ed