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Thread: Help with disassembly of a BSA Club Special

  1. #1
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    Question Help with disassembly of a BSA Club Special

    Hi all,

    I am currently working on my BSA Club Special. It was my grandfathers first air rifle back in the 40's and ill be honest. It has seen better days. Still shoots really well but I think the barrel is bent since all shots are way off target. Which reminded me that when I first had a go with it, the rear sight was way over to the left, I am guessing this was to compensate for the bent barrel. When the sight was off I was hitting just to the right of the bulls eye of my target. When I corrected this and put the sight in the dead center, all the shots are going way off to the right of the target.

    So to have a look I started to disassemble the rifle. Got everything apart but now I cant get the damn piston out. It has come so far that the sear is out but it is now stiff as hell. It was full of gunk (looked like old grease and mud!) so I put a bit of oil down it and I am going to leave it stood up for the night, hopefully this will help.

    This is the first time I have worked on these old BSA's. So I am learning as I go, but does anyone know of any good guides, specifically for these old rifles?

    Also if the barrel is the problem, what would be the best way to correct it? Because it is a really nice rifle and I would love to get it sorted and take it to my Grandfathers so we can both have a shoot.

    Cheers,

    Jake
    Last edited by Huttles94; 31-12-2017 at 07:56 PM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Huttles94 View Post
    Hi all,

    I am currently working on my BSA Club Special. It was my grandfathers first air rifle back in the 40's and ill be honest. It has seen better days. Still shoots really well but I think the barrel is bent since all shots are way off target. Which reminded me that when I first had a go with it, the rear sight was way over to the left, I am guessing this was to compensate for the bent barrel. When the sight was off I was hitting just to the right of the bulls eye of my target. When I corrected this and put the sight in the dead center, all the shots are going way off to the right of the target.

    So to have a look I started to disassemble the rifle. Got everything apart but now I cant get the damn piston out. It has come so far that the sear is out but it is now stiff as hell. It was full of gunk (looked like old grease and mud!) so I put a bit of oil down it and I am going to leave it stood up for the night, hopefully this will help.

    This is the first time I have worked on these old BSA's. So I am learning as I go, but does anyone know of any good guides, specifically for these old rifles?

    Also if the barrel is the problem, what would be the best way to correct it? Because it is a really nice rifle and I would love to get it sorted and take it to my Grandfathers so we can both have a shoot.

    Cheers,

    Jake
    Try this Jake.

    Also scroll down here for technical tips etc.
    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Garvin View Post
    Try this Jake.

    Also scroll down here for technical tips etc.
    Just what I was looking for!

    Cheers mate

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Huttles94 View Post
    Just what I was looking for!

    Cheers mate
    Some fantastic info on those links , thanks for posting them.

  5. #5
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    Right got it stripped down and it needs a new piston washer. Thanks to Mr Knibbs, that is on order.

    Now I need more help, mainly with how to get out seized stripped screws.....

    Looks like some in the past has tried to adjust the trigger and forgot that it has a locking screw on the other side (This rifle has the three holes about the trigger) and has stripped the damn thing. I tried to have a go at loosening the lock screw but that is seized and stripped to.

    I can get replacement screws but I cant get the damn things off and it looks a mess.

    So anyone got any tips on getting them out without damaging the trigger block?

    Cheers.

  6. #6
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    All is good, with a punch, hammer, elbow grease and a whole lot of swearing, the trigger adj and lock screws are out!

    Ill upload some images, quite proud of myself that I got them out without damaging anything. These screws have probably never been out!






  7. #7
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    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by Huttles94 View Post
    All is good, with a punch, hammer, elbow grease and a whole lot of swearing, the trigger adj and lock screws are out!

    Ill upload some images, quite proud of myself that I got them out without damaging anything. These screws have probably never been out!





    Well done!

    Swearing usually helps!!


    John
    for my gunz guitarz and bonzai, see here
    www.flickr.com/photos/8163995@N07/

  8. #8
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    More help please

    Ok so after putting the gun back together and replacing the piston washer with one from John Knibbs. The gun no longer shoots.

    It cocks fine but when I pull the trigger it makes a "phutt" sound and I can see the piston just move slowly up the cylinder.

    My guess is that the piston seal is wrong and is letting air past.

    Thats not all, the trigger adjust and lock screw I ordered from Knibbs are longer than the original and so wont screw in correctly, I can file these down but still, kind of annoying.

    So on that note, where can i get a proper leather piston seal for a BSA Club Special? (I believe its the same as the standards)

    Cheers

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Huttles94 View Post
    Ok so after putting the gun back together and replacing the piston washer with one from John Knibbs. The gun no longer shoots.

    It cocks fine but when I pull the trigger it makes a "phutt" sound and I can see the piston just move slowly up the cylinder.

    My guess is that the piston seal is wrong and is letting air past.

    Thats not all, the trigger adjust and lock screw I ordered from Knibbs are longer than the original and so wont screw in correctly, I can file these down but still, kind of annoying.

    So on that note, where can i get a proper leather piston seal for a BSA Club Special? (I believe its the same as the standards)

    Cheers
    Ah now that I think about it, it was probably may fault.

    This piston would not go into the cylinder and so I tried my best are shaving a tiny bit of material off the washer.........opps

    Let that be a lesson learned not to do work when tired.

    Anyone have any tips on getting the washer to fit right? (I have bought a new one from knibbs)

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Huttles94 View Post
    Ah now that I think about it, it was probably may fault.

    This piston would not go into the cylinder and so I tried my best are shaving a tiny bit of material off the washer.........opps

    Let that be a lesson learned not to do work when tired.

    Anyone have any tips on getting the washer to fit right? (I have bought a new one from knibbs)
    Nothing wrong with that,the leather seals do need sizing for a nice sliding fit.

    A piece of 320 production paper worked well in a Mk1 Meteor.

    Followed by lubrication with sunflower oil,yes I know,combustible .

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Huttles94 View Post
    Ah now that I think about it, it was probably may fault.

    This piston would not go into the cylinder and so I tried my best are shaving a tiny bit of material off the washer.........opps

    Let that be a lesson learned not to do work when tired.

    Anyone have any tips on getting the washer to fit right? (I have bought a new one from knibbs)
    Check out the advice here Jake.
    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

  12. #12
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    Cheers for the advice fellas.

    I keep forgetting that there is a very comprehensive guide for these old rifles, which Garvin has mentioned twice now, so cheers mate. Im sure ill remember this time

    Yup the washer is over sized and so that is the reason why its going down the cylinder slowly, pretty obvious if you think about it. My dad always says "10 minuets hard thinking is equal to an hour of hard work".

    Ill take it apart again later and resize the washer. I still have the other one on the way but I do have more than one old BSA that is in need of a service

    Thanks again

    Jake

  13. #13
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    Sill having problems with the rifle

    I have taken off a bit of the materiel on the leather washer (enough so that the piston can be easily moved up and down the barrel by hand)

    It seems to work fine when there is no pellet in the chamber but as soon as i put one in the rifle does the same as before (piston slowly moves down the barrel).

    I might just put the old original piston washer back on. Yeah it is tatty, but i know it works ok with it on.

  14. #14
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    Good news!

    I ended up fobbing off the John Knibbs seals (I bought two, thinking I messed up the first)

    And went and bought one from Chambers. No fitting required and the rifle is sound!

    Now I aint knocking Knibbs, in fact I buy a lot from him and most of it seems good, its just that recently I have had problems, not counting the seals. I also bought a trigger adjustment and lock screw. But they are massively too long to fit.

    I dont know if they are second hand or repos done by Knibbs but if it is the latter, Im sure they say all their repo parts are made to the original specs....

    Oh well its sorted now. Thanks for all the help guys

    Jake

  15. #15
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    Help with disassembly of a BSA Club Special

    [QUOTE=Huttles94;7415662]Good news!

    I ended up fobbing off the John Knibbs seals (I bought two, thinking I messed up the first)

    And went and bought one from Chambers. No fitting required and the rifle is sound!

    Now I aint knocking Knibbs, in fact I buy a lot from him and most of it seems good, its just that recently I have had problems, not counting the seals. I also bought a trigger adjustment and lock screw. But they are massively too long to fit.

    I dont know if they are second hand or repos done by Knibbs but if it is the latter, Im sure they say all their repo parts are made to the original specs....

    Oh well its sorted now. Thanks for all the help guys ---I had an original piston seal off them & it seemed to be made of that grey compressed cardboard fake leather you used to get cheap belts made from in the 70's, was rubbish,(even after soaking in hempseed oil for a week) someone on this forum makes good leather piston seals & has posted how to make them from shoe sole leather if you do a search. oh btw i found soaking the old seal in hempseed oil gave me a good seal !
    Last edited by junglie; 19-01-2018 at 12:55 AM.

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