Mk 2 AirSporter .22 - Bitsa, bodge, old age or 'they're all like that, sir'?

[laverdabru]

A few years ago bought one. Must have had my rose tinted specs on, or the pic was in soft focus...When it arrived, the stock looked like it had been used as a cricket bat, & the bluing was 99% absent. But, it was cheapish, the flip up sights & pop up tap worked fine. Had the 4 claw tele mount. But my eyesight couldn't cope with the rear sights tiny 'U' & aligning it with the foresight. So I put it away after maybe putting a hundred pellets thru it. At this stage, I'll mention I don't have a problem with my other oldies opens (Various Webleys, Diana etc).
Gave it another try today, & a good look over.
Hmm...
As said, tap/flip up sight are in good order.
Trigger block is marked GD(O?)23545.
Under the stock end of the barrel '4708' is stamped in, fairly roughly.
Although the tap works fine, lever looks bent, viewed from the side, maybe 5-10 degrees. It also scrapes against the side of the body when pushed down.
Trigger - this didn't look quite right. Bit modern, better finish than the rest. But looks like a bent sheet metal one, rather than the solid steel/alloy one I'd expect from a quality gun of the time.

Any views received gratefully,

Bru

[rockdrill]

One observation I would make about early Airsporters is that the Mk1 was really built well, pretty much everything machined from solid.

By the time the Mk2 came out there is evident signs of cost cutting, such as straight sided barrel, rolled steel piston, flimsier spring guide and IIRC pressed steel trigger blade.

[edbear2]

One observation I would make about early Airsporters is that the Mk1 wass really built well, pretty much everything machined from solid.

By the time the Mk2 came out there is evident signs of cost cutting, such as straight sided barrel, rolled steel piston, flimsier spring guide and IIRC pressed steel trigger blade.

IIRC the MK Tap was a casting / forging with the tap lever itegral, and the MK2 tap was a 2 piece, with the lever brazed / soldered into a slot at the end of the tapered portion.

Mr Bru......I have moved MK2 taps which are like yours...The gun has had a knock which has bent the tap lever a tad....I have opened the tap till it's vertical and given it a tap with a small brass hammer from the right side which has stopped the scraping thing and brought the lever back to parallel with the cylinder when viewed form above and if they are not I find it annoying for some reason

Or if not you could just open it, cover the loading port with some masking tape and file it a bit, then cold blue if not happy bashing it....I have replaced one ages ago that had come adrift for some reason, looked like a bad joint from the factory as rust had got well into the slot.

ATB, Ed

[laverdabru]

Ta for that, filing the 'inside' (seen from the top) bit that rubs against the air tube makes sense - no need to blue as there's FA blueing on it anyway

As for the bend in the 'other' direction (as viewed from the side), bit loath to hit it - the tap does work fine, just annoys me seeing the slight bend.

Thanks again,

Bru

[edbear2]

Ta for that, filing the 'inside' (seen from the top) bit that rubs against the air tube makes sense - no need to blue as there's FA blueing on it anyway

As for the bend in the 'other' direction (as viewed from the side), bit loath to hit it - the tap does work fine, just annoys me seeing the slight bend.

Thanks again,

Bru

I just edited my post for the numerous spelling mistakes......It read back like this bloke was saying it ,


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGNVU5ZjlgA


Maybe the vaccine is getting to me

ATB, ED