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Thread: BSA mercury range

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    BSA mercury range

    Hi I know there are mk1 2 and 3 but what changes were they,all the part nos on chambers seem the same apart from the rear elevation nob on the open sights,were the stocks different? plus any info on these rifles would be interesting??

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    The main changes I believe are in the breech jaws having a screw rather than a pin and the cocking lever improvements. Also the clamp under the cylinder than guides the cocking lever was changed at Mk2 I think.

    The rest is pretty much the same I think (Maxi0grip scope rails and different stocks excepted)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Zomboid View Post
    The main changes I believe are in the breech jaws having a screw rather than a pin and the cocking lever improvements. Also the clamp under the cylinder than guides the cocking lever was changed at Mk2 I think.

    The rest is pretty much the same I think (Maxi0grip scope rails and different stocks excepted)
    As above really the cocking linkage went to an articulated version so thus relieving the stock of a long cocking slot and a nut and bolt was used instead of a breech pin, a slightly better trigger was employed as well although all it was was a hinged trigger to try and replicate a two stage trigger but was an improvement over the older unit, basically the later Mercs where gently morphing into the Challenger.

    Pete
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    mk3

    its serial no is zc07008 so looking on hear its a mk3 its all piston type reading about changing the piston head n removing the buffer washer,its a 22,is it worth doing? can you reshape the std head? do I cut the stem back if so how much?

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    think its an s

    Although no re letters on serial no mercury is in gold on the action,looked up the TR ROBB piston head dunno wether its worth the money if you can use the std piston head,thoughts guys??

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    Standard piston head is fine ino.
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    According to John Knibbs your Merc is a normal one not an S, the way to tell is it will have S engraved on the top of the cylinder after Mercury, it should have a walnut stock with checkering on the pistol grip and forend and the barrel should be 17mm thick instead of the standard 15.5mm, as for the piston head, replace the buffer washer as quick as possible before it has any chance to lock up the piston, the T R Robb kit is a good kit to get as it comes with different size O rings that can help relieve any piston head tightness that would take hundreds of shots to bed the standard size ring in, if you want to get rid of the buffer washer then you need to cut the shaft down a bit and redrill the hole that the cross pin goes through to hold the head on, you will gain about half a foot pounds (may be a little more) in power so don't go thinking you'll get a shed load of power.

    Pete
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    re

    yes its a std mk3 15.5mm barrel,funds will demand how far i go with it,prob nice guide n tophat n redrill the ally piston just want it smooth 10.5lb is enough for me on any spinger,shes in a very poor state,in bits deep pitting on barrel actions ruff but not as bad bit ov copper pipe as a guide,no buffer and open sights missing,im going to try cold blue kit then hot oil blue on top to try n get a deeper blue,ive done a couple ov wreckers with this hot oil blue with good success,stocks not that ruff but going to sand it back n re stain n oil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by hotversion View Post
    yes its a std mk3 15.5mm barrel,funds will demand how far i go with it,prob nice guide n tophat n redrill the ally piston just want it smooth 10.5lb is enough for me on any spinger,shes in a very poor state,in bits deep pitting on barrel actions ruff but not as bad bit ov copper pipe as a guide,no buffer and open sights missing,im going to try cold blue kit then hot oil blue on top to try n get a deeper blue,ive done a couple ov wreckers with this hot oil blue with good success,stocks not that ruff but going to sand it back n re stain n oil.
    I wouldn't even bother with the cold blue kit, I bought an old rifle a couple of years ago and it looked fine in the sellers photo's, when I received it it still looked 'alright' in artificial light but in natural light it looked patchy and dull in areas, when I wiped it over with an oily rag all the bluing came off, I had a go at hot oil blue (the version where you heat the metal and drop it in a tank of oil) but I struggled to get the metal work cherry red all over (as instructed) because all I had was a blow lamp and the heat wasn't enough but I have to say what finish I did got was interesting and looked like case hardening you see on really old rifles, I got it properly blued in the end, if I can get a better heat source then I'd happily try it again.

    Pete
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    re

    i used a propane heat gun,i first did a old hw77 that had painted,i didnt get it cherry red and it took very well plus its self kinda lube ing and keeps the elements at bay,if proper blueing was cheaper i would have it done right.

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    Quote Originally Posted by hotversion View Post
    i used a propane heat gun,i first did a old hw77 that had painted,i didnt get it cherry red and it took very well plus its self kinda lube ing and keeps the elements at bay,if proper blueing was cheaper i would have it done right.
    You do know you'll soften all the hardened parts?

    This is a very bad idea.
    A man can always use more alcohol, tobacco and firearms.

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    Re

    Quote Originally Posted by RichardH View Post
    You do know you'll soften all the hardened parts?

    This is a very bad idea.
    Im not getting it cherry red just some heat into the steel so the oils absorbed into it,the barrel n action it won't soften any part ov it,there's some vids on YouTube of custom rifle makers doing the exact same thing on all sorts ov rifles.

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    Watch out for melting any brazed components like barrel to breech block!
    Plinkerer and Tinkerer

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    It wasnt the buffer that jammed up pistons in these the airsporters and some scorpions. It was the use of nylon for the earlier piston heads. This absorbed water and swelled up locking the piston solid. Buffers and heads are unrecognisable after the piston has been removed from the cylinder with a lump hammer and cold chisel BSA switched to using an ally head after this experience.

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    Quote Originally Posted by greenwayjames View Post
    It wasnt the buffer that jammed up pistons in these the airsporters and some scorpions. It was the use of nylon for the earlier piston heads. This absorbed water and swelled up locking the piston solid. Buffers and heads are unrecognisable after the piston has been removed from the cylinder with a lump hammer and cold chisel BSA switched to using an ally head after this experience.
    That's strange as the Mercury S and Airsporter S I have, both where jammed up with alloy heads and a massive space where the buffer washer used to be, so I think it's the whole range that suffered

    Pete
    Far too many rifles to list now, all mainly British but the odd pesky foreigner has snuck in

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