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Thread: How often should you...

  1. #1
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    How often should you...

    Change the spring/ washer on a classic BSA bell target rifle?
    Answer will appear here later

  2. #2
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    I suppose it depends on the amount of use the rifle gets Peter.

    I have some rifles in the collection with their presumed original springs that are still in working order. My assumption is based on the end coils being stamped BSA and the level of crud found inside the cylinder when the piston washer is examined. If the original spring/washer work, albeit at a lower power level than originally intended, why replace them? Must be my mean streak

    John

  3. #3
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    Once a century whether it needs it or not.

  4. #4
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    Every 20 years it seems






    1939 then 1959





    Might be out of warranty now

  5. #5
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    What a fantastic find and bit of history.

    Thank goodness the note didn’t say help I’m being held prisoner in the BSA factory please contact the police.
    Morally flawed

  6. #6
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    Interested to see that you also own three Daisys.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Powderfinger View Post
    Interested to see that you also own three Daisys.

    That was the butt of the joke.

  8. #8
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    My 1905 still has original internals and shooting well. It did break a coil off one of the springs which I then refinished and put back. Was on our range yesterday shooting and was surprised at the small groups at 20 yards with .177 Gecos, never tried them in it before.

    Baz

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  9. #9
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    Nice rifle you have there Baz

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Binners View Post
    Nice rifle you have there Baz
    Yes, That's one I don't have an example of - straight hand stock with the early long tang trigger guard. This one looks superb Barry.

    Kind regards,

    John

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Binners View Post
    Nice rifle you have there Baz
    I can't shoot these oldies like I used to Peter, waving all over the place. Spoilt now by modern PCP's fitted with scopes. My first rifle was one of these in the white, cost me £3, that was 60 years ago.

    Baz

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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Benelli B76 View Post
    I can't shoot these oldies like I used to Peter, waving all over the place. Spoilt now by modern PCP's fitted with scopes. My first rifle was one of these in the white, cost me £3, that was 60 years ago.

    Baz

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    I see you were ferreting around, even in those days

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Binners View Post
    How often should you

    change the spring/ washer on a classic BSA bell target rifle?
    Back in the heyday of my prewar BSA collecting I used to routinely change the spring and washer in rifles I bought, if the power seemed at all low. But in the process I turned a few well bedded-in, sweet shooters into quite harsh shooters, albeit more powerful.

    So I stopped doing it unless power was at rock bottom, or if there was a twang that suggested a broken spring. There's something about a well used but cared for BSA that's hard to reproduce with modern replacement parts, or perhaps it requires a lot of pellets through it first - and a heck of a lot of patience.

    So to answer the original hypothetical, it's 'not as often as you'd think'.
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