BSA 240 Magnum - 20-ish years late to the party but...

[Inspector 71]

I love the little thing. I bought a .177 calibre version of this pistol from a BBS member a couple of weeks ago and have to say that I'm really enjoying it. I used it at the club this morning and shooting one handed and unsupported was putting 8/10 in the black at 10m. This was the second time I've used it and am confident I will improve my scores with it. I fired maybe 50 shots before getting on with some serious practice with my LP2.

For such a compact pistol, it packs a fair punch and the sights and trigger are good. Yes it sits high in the hand but I can cope with that.

Was the 240 a successful sequel to the Scorp'?

[clarky]

I love the little thing. I bought a .177 calibre version of this pistol from a BBS member a couple of weeks ago and have to say that I'm really enjoying it. I used it at the club this morning and shooting one handed and unsupported was putting 8/10 in the black at 10m. This was the second time I've used it and am confident I will improve my scores with it. I fired maybe 50 shots before getting on with some serious practice with my LP2.

For such a compact pistol, it packs a fair punch and the sights and trigger are good. Yes it sits high in the hand but I can cope with that.

Was the 240 a successful sequel to the Scorp'?

Unfortunately not.
The main gripe was the angled attack of the breach which usually leads to the breach seal inconsistantly sealing.
Bowkett considered the barrel too short where they should have dispensed with the plenum chamber idea.....which didnt really work bytheway....and ran the barrel full length.
The grip is somehow not quite right, where switching back to something like a comfy Tempests or 53s grip is a pleasurable return.
I had big consistancy issues with the novel guide rod, ending with me remachining a redesigned one which improved matters considerably but i never conquered the breach issue.
It was possible the best and most well known example of inconsistancy for shooting beautifully, with a run good accuracy and then somehow hitting a patch of inconsistancy and poor accuracy.....which proved annoying.
I eventually gave up chasing its tail as did many shooters but it looked a great gun on paper.

[eyebull]

Unfortunately not.
The main gripe was the angled attack of the breach which usually leads to the breach seal inconsistantly sealing.
Bowkett considered the barrel too short where they should have dispensed with the plenum chamber idea.....which didnt really work bytheway....and ran the barrel full length.
The grip is somehow not quite right, where switching back to something like a comfy Tempests or 53s grip is a pleasurable return.
I had big consistancy issues with the novel guide rod, ending with me remachining a redesigned one which improved matters considerably but i never conquered the breach issue.
It was possible the best and most well known example of inconsistancy for shooting beautifully, with a run good accuracy and then somehow hitting a patch of inconsistancy and poor accuracy.....which proved annoying.
I eventually gave up chasing its tail as did many shooters but it looked a great gun on paper.

My experience pretty much mirrors the above - if you have a good one then keep it close!

[Inspector 71]

Judging by the response to my thread, I conclude that the 240 was a veritable disaster

[eyebull]

Judging by the response to my thread, I conclude that the 240 was a veritable disaster

Pretty much
Another missed opportunity by BSA sadly, it could have rivaled the HW45.

[pcusername]

Im in awe of anyone that can consistently hit the black at 10 metres with one of these one handed. Mine kicks like a mule,I can just about do cans at that range using both hands

[clarky]

Im in awe of anyone that can consistently hit the black at 10 metres with one of these one handed. Mine kicks like a mule,I can just about do cans at that range using both hands

It was really a bunch of quite novel developments by BSA coming together and not really working.
It employed a cross section guide rod....the first ....and last of its kind. Instead of being machined from round, it was cheaply moulded in the form of a square cross with 4 corner contact points.
The idea being to eliminate spring twang. However my close scrutiny revealled it could bend slightly under loading and picked up like nuts on the spring.....bringing in all kinds of consistancy issues..
Chucking the wretched thing out i machined a nice round guide of traditional design out of Delrin with the end plug forming the base of guide.....in the first week of having the gun from brand new!
I did get an improvement in consistancy but the work considerably above that of the home tuner.
Next ...barrel is not good enough. It was short to accomodate the plenum on board silencer.....it never really worked but also robbed a good 40mm of potential barrel length.
Cardew once made mention that a springer pistol required at least 6.5 inches of barrel to impart any real accuracy to typical airgun pellets at the usual 3 to 4.5 ftlbs but this BSA breaks that rule sadly.....i wonder what BSA were thinking there then.
Finally the breach seal was something of a hit and miss event at sealing..
You could get a good run of sealing and then the thing would cant over and partially seal...
Grip far from great.
Trigger could be tweaked a bit and not a disaster..
It was not a good gun. Dont let anyone else tell you different.

[clarky]

Im in awe of anyone that can consistently hit the black at 10 metres with one of these one handed. Mine kicks like a mule,I can just about do cans at that range using both hands

It was really a bunch of quite novel developments by BSA coming together and not really working.
It employed a cross section guide rod....the first ....and last of its kind. Instead of being machined from round, it was cheaply moulded in the form of a square cross with 4 corner contact points.
The idea being to eliminate spring twang. However my close scrutiny revealled it could bend slightly under loading and picked up like nuts on the spring.....bringing in all kinds of consistancy issues..
Chucking the wretched thing out i machined a nice round guide of traditional design out of Delrin with the end plug forming the base of guide.....in the first week of having the gun from brand new!
I did get an improvement in consistancy but the work considerably above that of the home tuner.
Next ...barrel is not good enough. It was short to accomodate the plenum on board silencer.....it never really worked but also robbed a good 40mm of potential barrel length.
Cardew once made mention that a springer pistol required at least 6.5 inches of barrel to impart any real accuracy to typical airgun pellets at the usual 3 to 4.5 ftlbs but this BSA breaks that rule sadly.....i wonder what BSA were thinking there then.
Finally the breach seal was something of a hit and miss even at sealing..
You could get a good run of sealing and then the thing would cant over and partially seal...
Grip far from great.
Trigger could be tweaked a bit and not a disaster..

It gained some fans.
There is something pure quality reg the look of the breach section, machined from solid alloy it had a look of a breach from a good quality PCP air rifle about it and the top strap looked well made and purposeful...but..
It was not a good gun. Dont let anyone else tell you different.