Reply With Quoteincreasing the weight of the superstar piston may be a good idea - they are on the light side... but that one might be a little too heavy.
Mushroom Man
Following help from Pete (p.j.) I sussed how the trigger components go back together and subsequently also how to strip the rifle and remove the piston without dismantling the trigger. All good experience.
I have new seals for the rotating breech and a new piston seal on order.
When taking the rifle apart (.177), the steel spring guide was in two parts ... a tube and an end washer. The washer was prevented from falling off the end of the tube by very crude belling of the tube. My first thought was that the washer had been fixed to the tube but looking at parts diagrams indicates the guide is in fact 2 pieces. Again, you learn. The guide was a pretty loose fit in the spring so a new delrin guide has been made. the spring as removed is 250mm long, 3.2mm section wire, 33 coils, 13.9mm id but I guess this could be 14mm in reality. The spring has plenty of room in the piston body (rattling around) so a PTFE liner is now fitted, as is a top hat.
A puzzle has been what I can only describe as a big home made top hat or front fitting guide: at first I thought it was a standard component as it is well made but now very much doubt it. It consists of a steel rod maybe 9mm diameter with a steel flange about 3mm thick and the same diameter as the inside of the piston at one end. The rod is almost as long as the piston inside. It would certainly add a lot of weight to the piston! I can only imagine it was added as part of a home tune??? I will leave it out when I do the rebuild. I could now kick myself because now I know this steel rod is not standard it would have made making a delrin guide so much easier as there would have been no need for a central hole for this steel rod to fit inside in the guide. Well, once again you live and learn.
Other data: front stock screws M4. Trigger guard screw and the Maxi rail screw 2BA.
All I want now are the breech seals ...
Cheers, Phil
Registered User
increasing the weight of the superstar piston may be a good idea - they are on the light side... but that one might be a little too heavy.
Always looking for any cheap, interesting, knackered "project" guns. Thanks, JB.
Mushroom Man
I thought it might be a little heavy but will try without first then decide if extra weight is needed.Originally Posted by Shed tuner
The TP is approx 3mm ... not measured accurately.
Cheers, Phil
Registered Gent'
A mate of mine, had the very same heavy push rod type piston weight in his Bsa Lightning, it was a former export model. The gun shoots much nicer with it removed.
Les..
Mushroom Man
That is fascinating. I now wonder if it really is an aftermarket add-on. But where from? Who made it? As the rifle has a nice thumb hole stock my guess is that it was owned by someone who appreciated the finer things in airgun shooting so maybe the addition of such a 'tuning aid' may have been in character.
Cheers, Phil
Registered User
Be interested in seeing pics PhilThat is fascinating. I now wonder if it really is an aftermarket add-on. But where from? Who made it? As the rifle has a nice thumb hole stock my guess is that it was owned by someone who appreciated the finer things in airgun shooting so maybe the addition of such a 'tuning aid' may have been in character.
Cheers, Phil
Custom BSA S10 .22 PAX Phoenix Mk 2 .22 Custom Titan Manitou .22 (JB BP) HW77 .22 FWB Sport Mk1 .22 Sharp Ace .22 Crossman 600 .22 Berretta 92 .20 Desert Eagle .177
Registered User
The rod is the original BSA Supersport/lightning FAC piston weight.
You guys probably dont see it much, because of your 12fpe limit, but that weight has been in EVERY Supersport/Lightning I have take apart over here in Norway, with guns from the 90's and up to the more recent Spanish guns.
I have a box with several of them taken out from guns, because the guns are much better at +/- 11 fpe with the Titan #1 and a delrin tophat.
Mushroom Man
Well well, fascinating stuff, thank you. There was no suggestion that the rifle has been at FAC level, indeed a test just after purchase showed to to be c. 11.2 but somewhat noisy.
Cheers, Phil
Extra: for interest I did a Google search on Lightning piston weight and found a BBS post from Wonky Donkey from 2013 which showed the long weight and a shorter version top hat. So ... puzzle answered. Thank you.
Last edited by Phil Russell; 02-11-2020 at 06:55 PM. Reason: more info.
Registered User
Had one of those piston weights from John Knibbs, never fitted it though. From memory unfinished mild steel with the disc brazed at the base.
Mushroom Man
spot on. The end of the rod is also tapered a little.
Cheers, Phil
Mushroom Man
Update:
New seals arrived today. All fitted and rifle is very pleasant running at 11.2 with JSB 8.4. I did not include the large piston weight and used a delrin guide and top hat with a ptfe piston liner as there was oodles of space between piston wall and spring. I kept the original spring.
So, very happy. It is always a good feeling when you have put a rifle back together and take the first shot to be rewarded with a thunk and a gentle nudge ... even better when the next few shots repeat the experience.
During this exercise I mastered the art of removing/replacing the piston and breech block without dismantling the trigger. In brief:
Strip to the point where the Maxi rail is removed. Find a 'push rod' about 40mm long x 4mm diameter, preferably with a grip or knob on the end. I used an old cupboard drawer knob fitted with a longer rod. From the top of the action, look into the cylinder through the end maxi grip hole. Note the main sear in the centre. Place your pusher on top of the sear, pull trigger and push the pusher down. It moves the sear out of the cylinder. Now block the sear by placing the end of a 4mm hex key, or similar, in the space that has appeared at the rear of the trigger housing. It is now possible to remove or replace both the breech block and/or the piston without interference from the trigger. I wish I had found this trick before ...
So, all done. Thank you to all who gave encouragement, information and help.
As an aside, when testing the rifle I instinctively held onto the u/l after cocking in order to load. Not used to a rotary breech system you see ..... old age creeps on. But I admit to warming to the rotary breech system as being quick and safe.
Cheers, Phil
Registered Gent'
Well done on sorting out your Superstar.
Thanks for the info regarding the piston removal re the trigger trick.
That will come in useful when I service one of my Superstar's.
Atb
Les..
Registered User
Still a good habit Phil, even with RBAs an aside, when testing the rifle I instinctively held onto the u/l after cocking in order to load. Not used to a rotary breech system you see ..... old age creeps on. But I admit to warming to the rotary breech system as being quick and safe.
Cheers, Phil
Custom BSA S10 .22 PAX Phoenix Mk 2 .22 Custom Titan Manitou .22 (JB BP) HW77 .22 FWB Sport Mk1 .22 Sharp Ace .22 Crossman 600 .22 Berretta 92 .20 Desert Eagle .177
Registered User
Hi Phil,
Good job done on the Superstar. a great rifle, I have several. There is no need to hold on to the under-lever, it can be returned to its latch after cocking with complete safety. It also enables a bit more freedom of hands and fingers to get the pellet into the rotating breech.
To load the rifle you do the following:
1. Turn safety on
2. Cock the rifle using the under barrel lever and return to latch.
3. Rotate the loading block 90 degrees open and slide a pellet down the slide into the chamber
4. Rotate the loading block closed
5. Turn the safety off
6. Fire
All the best.....
Mushroom Man
Thank you. Kind regards from your Granny the chicken farmer.
Sorry: couldn't resist.
Cheers, Phil
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