BSA Superstar, is it underrated or not?

[ken69]

Where's the best place to find a new stock for the superstar or very good 2nd hand? Thinking I want to keep it standard but a fancy stock is always nice?

http://www.airgunspares.com/store/pr...r-Beech-Stock/

[Geezer]

So, to conclude, perhaps, it is underrated by people who have never owned or used one, but rated correctly by those who have as a worthy HW77/TX competitor, though not quite up to the full spectrum of 77/TX excellence (trigger, odd scope rail)?

And it was late. By the time it arrived in 1990, PCPs were where it was at, and no-one had as much interest in springers as just a few years before - even Webley got the Eclipse on the market by 1988.

[El Garro]

People who've never had one or used one shouldn't be rating them really should they.

[Roundshot]

So, to conclude, perhaps, it is underrated by people who have never owned or used one, but rated correctly by those who have as a worthy HW77/TX competitor, though not quite up to the full spectrum of 77/TX excellence (trigger, odd scope rail)?

And it was late. By the time it arrived in 1990, PCPs were where it was at, and no-one had as much interest in springers as just a few years before - even Webley got the Eclipse on the market by 1988.

An excellent summary.

[look no hands]

So, to conclude, perhaps, it is underrated by people who have never owned or used one, but rated correctly by those who have as a worthy HW77/TX competitor, though not quite up to the full spectrum of 77/TX excellence (trigger, odd scope rail)?

And it was late. By the time it arrived in 1990, PCPs were where it was at, and no-one had as much interest in springers as just a few years before - even Webley got the Eclipse on the market by 1988.

I suppose another thing is the lack of 25mm internals and the overly long transfer port compared to the other two, in the eyes of the target shooters who wanted better and got it many years before with the 77 and then perfection with the TX, the S'star never had a chance from the off but as a midweight hunting rifle (lighter than the other two) with the safest loading system, it's just as good.

Pete

[imorik]

People who've never had one or used one shouldn't be rating them really should they.

Agreed

[look no hands]

People who've never had one or used one shouldn't be rating them really should they.

Very true but unfortunately they do, too many shooters are obsessed with the Rekord trigger and what it's connected to and dismiss anything else that comes close as inferior.

Pete

[Geezer]

I suppose another thing is the lack of 25mm internals and the overly long transfer port compared to the other two, in the eyes of the target shooters who wanted better and got it many years before with the 77 and then perfection with the TX, the S'star never had a chance from the off but as a midweight hunting rifle (lighter than the other two) with the safest loading system, it's just as good.

Pete

Yes, that's my view. If I had to sell some stuff off, my 25mm custom 77s would stay while the factory SS went. But it is a good piece, especially as a field rifle.

Definitely better than a Webley Eclipse! (Tin hat on.)

[Rickenbacker]

Definately the best factory underlever catch out of all underlevers.

[Roundshot]

I suppose another thing is the lack of 25mm internals and the overly long transfer port compared to the other two, in the eyes of the target shooters who wanted better and got it many years before with the 77 and then perfection with the TX, the S'star never had a chance from the off but as a midweight hunting rifle (lighter than the other two) with the safest loading system, it's just as good.

Pete

Another excellent summary.

As stated, the long, relatively inefficient 29mm transfer port is coupled with a hefty stroke 29 x 79mm (95% of HW80 swept volume). Can be made very nice to shoot in either calibre though.

[look no hands]

Definately the best factory underlever catch out of all underlevers.

I think the Prosports and later Airsporters take some beating but as you say definitely the best for an exposed underlever.

Pete

[Blackrider]

I never used it as such but I would imagine that the Superstar carbine would have made a nicely balance hunting tool, possibly better in .22 and not the .177 Cal. I had although I guess some of you may prefer the smaller pellet.
On reflection, I didn't use any of my S'stars for hunting but a Carbine would have been interesting especially the .25 a Poster mentioned earlier on this Thread !

[look no hands]

I never used it as such but I would imagine that the Superstar carbine would have made a nicely balance hunting tool, possibly better in .22 and not the .177 Cal. I had although I guess some of you may prefer the smaller pellet.
On reflection, I didn't use any of my S'stars for hunting but a Carbine would have been interesting especially the .25 a Poster mentioned earlier on this Thread !

Like what has been mentioned early, the .25 would soon be put aside because of the difficulty in loading, the rotary breech system can sometimes turn a pellet around (as everyone who's tried such a system will know) and also the lack of room to try and force a pellet into a tight bore doesn't help towards the enjoyment of shooting it, I nearly brought a .25 RB2 Airsporter a while ago but hesitated because the .243 Lightning barrel I had at the time was so tight that after a few shots you had a dent in your thumb and having to use a pellet pusher (something you couldn't use on a rotary breech) every shot was a pain, even when they had all been run through a .243 pellet sizer, they still didn't go in with a simple push of the thumb, which is the simplistic enjoyment of a plinking session, you just want to open a tin of pellets and feed the gun and shoot, no faffing about beforehand with sizing and then taking twice as long to load because the damn pellet won't go in straight or easily but at the end of the day the mess they make at the target was addictive.

Pete

[Blackrider]

Like what has been mentioned early, the .25 would soon be put aside because of the difficulty in loading, the rotary breech system can sometimes turn a pellet around (as everyone who's tried such a system will know) and also the lack of room to try and force a pellet into a tight bore doesn't help towards the enjoyment of shooting it, I nearly brought a .25 RB2 Airsporter a while ago but hesitated because the .243 Lightning barrel I had at the time was so tight that after a few shots you had a dent in your thumb and having to use a pellet pusher (something you couldn't use on a rotary breech) every shot was a pain, even when they had all been run through a .243 pellet sizer, they still didn't go in with a simple push of the thumb, which is the simplistic enjoyment of a plinking session, you just want to open a tin of pellets and feed the gun and shoot, no faffing about beforehand with sizing and then taking twice as long to load because the damn pellet won't go in straight or easily but at the end of the day the mess they make at the target was addictive.

Pete

I had exactly the same issue with a .25 SStar on reflection and a 635 Magnum.
I only ever had "a true .25" BSA and that was a Lightening Tac XL which took H&N F&TT's and shot very well.

[look no hands]

I had exactly the same issue with a .25 SStar on reflection and a 635 Magnum.
I only ever had "a true .25" BSA and that was a Lightening Tac XL which took H&N F&TT's and shot very well.

I eventually bought another proper .25 Lightning barrel off of Knibbs in the end (I should have returned the first one in theory as it was so tight, even after being reamed out in the breech as not fit for purpose) but when you talk to them about it they deny that the .25 barrels have never been .243 size but that's them all over.

Pete