Are BSA worth a look?

[MrChipShoulder]

This sounds a very odd question, but it comes from the fact that I hear almost nothing about BSA at any club I go to. I know we've all had BSA's as kids, but that was a lifetime away and now we are all on other stuff. Is it because the R10 has had a difficult birth, or do BSA simply focus on lesser performing air rifles and leave the higher end to others? Is there a BSA as good as the TX200 or HW97?

BSA is just a brand that never comes up in conversation, why?

[keithy]

This sounds a very odd question, but it comes from the fact that I hear almost nothing about BSA at any club I go to. I know we've all had BSA's as kids, but that was a lifetime away and now we are all on other stuff. Is it because the R10 has had a difficult birth, or do BSA simply focus on lesser performing air rifles and leave the higher end to others? Is there a BSA as good as the TX200 or HW97?

BSA is just a brand that never comes up in conversation, why?

Springer wise NO the lightening used to be let down by the triggers but they should be ok now with the two stage trigger. The quality control issues they have had with the R10 have put a lot of people off. But a good one is very good.

[Hsing-ee]

I was taught to shoot with a BSA Meteor and have always had an affection for BSAs.

I don't own any BSA springers now apart from that original Meteor, but I do have a BSA Scorpion PCP. It has a superb barrel, an excellent trigger and a stock with a perfect design, it is blisteringly accurate.

It is so good that I have no plans to buy another PCP.

[PCPShooter]

I like BSA PCPs
Plenty about, very popular

[les allam]

The best Bsa springer for me is the Superstar,no longer made but more than capable re accuracy and handling.They are a lighter weight option to the TX and Hw97 guns and a bit more fiddly to service.
My one keeps up with my other underlever guns no problem.
I will bring my one to the next Bash that you attend for you to play with.
Regarding Bsa pcp,I love my Hornet carbine-Ultra se-Spitfire and Firebird all dead accurate and reliable .
Les..

[phil384]

Owned a synthetic stocked Lightning in .177 - horrible twangy thing. Now own a Walther Terrus in .177 - lovely to shoot.

I have a BSA Ultra SE which is absolutely superb and you'll have to prise it from my cold dead hands...

[phil384]

Just remembered I had a Mark 1 Lightning with the wooden stock too years ago. Also nasty but don't remember it being as bad as the newer one.

[Daveo]

I've never particularly liked BSA springers.
They used to use breech pins not bolts so there was no adjustment.
The triggers were basic single stage things and heavy.
I always felt Webleys, Vulcan, Exocet, which were a similar price, were much better guns.
I had a .25 supersport which was good fun being a big bore.
I'd have a brum webley over any BSA even now.

[MartynB]

They used to use breech pins not bolts so there was no adjustment

I recall having a Mercury S that had breech screw bolt with lock nut but in general they were mostly pins

[mjoseph]

I think there are a lot of scare stories about BSAs.

When I bought my R10 I changed the reg for a HUMA, it made no difference to the group sizes I was getting.

The R10 is the most comfortable and pointable air rifle I have, which translates to more consistent scores. But I still had a nagging doubt that it may not be as accurate as my HW101.

That was until I actually shot some 10 shot groups with both, under the same conditions, they were virtually identical.

This is the first R10 I've had, it took me four attempts to get a fully working, legal HW101.


Cheers,



Mark.

[robhw97k]

bsa springers are crap,the brummie 70s 80s were great,but now made in spain so pass.not even in same league as AA or weirauch for springers.pcp ive had bsa ultra,didnt like it,think i got 30 shots to a fill and it wasnt regulated.had bsa scorpion single shot,this was a nice rifle,plenty shots to a fill and accurate,not as accurate as my aas400f but it was certainly good enough,but sold it as it was heavy.only 2 guns id be interested in bsa wise is scorpion and R10.

[secretagentmole]

I have the best rifle BSA ever made, the Super 10, mine is a mk 3 rifle bull barrel, in .177, so finding one is like finding hen's teeth as they were only ever made to order, whereas the .22 was the stock gun (in rifle length with bull barrel that is).

It is wonderfully accurate, great shot count, a superb rifle that I have an affinity for (had enough of them).

Conversely one of the worst PCP rifles I ever had was a BSA Ultra MMC that never made the 3 week mark (just hate the reloading hoohah so much). It was accurate, light, poorer trigger than the S10, but it still worked and grouped well, just after a bolt MMC is crap, really crap, like bury it at a crossroads with a titanium stake through it's heart at midnight sort of crap!

My wife bought one of the first Scorpion SE rifles on the market, it would not group, with any pellet or any size, had to go back to BSA for repair under warranty.

The R10 suffered from horrific bean counting interference, to the point regulators on the R10 had a lifespan of weeks, the regulator on them still seems to be a weak point. The Lightning got such a bad reputation they started building the things in Birmingham out of bits bought over from Spain (but using the BSA made barrels).

I love my BSA S10, but would never buy another new BSA.

[piggy589]

I was taught to shoot with a BSA Meteor and have always had an affection for BSAs.

I don't own any BSA springers now apart from that original Meteor, but I do have a BSA Scorpion PCP. It has a superb barrel, an excellent trigger and a stock with a perfect design, it is blisteringly accurate.

It is so good that I have no plans to buy another PCP.

That makes two of us.

From past experience one problem with BSA break barrels is their tendency to be over the legal limit straight out of the box.

[where's it gone]

That makes two of us.

From past experience one problem with BSA break barrels is their tendency to be over the legal limit straight out of the box.

Which is like saying when you drive a Ford V6, it's so easy to go over 70mph

[secretagentmole]

Which is like saying when you drive a Ford V6, it's so easy to go over 70mph

But it is not illegal to own a Ford V6 without a license but it is illegal to own a section 1 firearm without a license.

If you buy an air rifle brand new that is supposed to be sub 12 but it turns out to be more powerful, it is your responsibility...