Valuation please, BSA Mercury Mk3 .22 Calibre

[steptoe1966]

Definitely a blued finish

i would say you have something strange there then mate might be worth looking in to if they did any hold overs from the mk2 into the mk3 , ir used mk2 cylinder and barrel bluing it for the early ones in the mk3 as i say i have only ever heard of the mk as the bolt and nut barrel pivot , that was one of the upgrades to the mk2 as the pins became wobbly over time .

good luck mate

[ken69]

Just read a little further on one of the info sites, don't know how accurate it is, looks like the pin was replaced by a bolt on the 'S' model

"Differences between versions
Changes between Mks are far from straightforward as BSA would use up parts on newer rifles, they all had beech stock and the internals are similar.

Mk1 - Steel, single-stage trigger, single-piece cocking arm and a blued finish - serial number prefix WA 0.177/ZA 0.22 [1]
Mk2 - Plastic, single-stage trigger,single-piece cocking arm black painted finish - serial number prefix WB 0.177/ZB 0.22
Mk3 - Two-stage trigger, 2-piece articulated cocking arm and a blued finish - serial number prefix WC 0.177/ZC 0.22
Upgrades
In response to competition from German Manufactured Air weapons,’ it was re-launched in 1980 as the Mercury "S" with a checkered Walnut stock, thicker barrel, an articulated cocking lever, metal open sights, the barrel axis pin was replaced by a bolt and the metalwork had a blued finish.[2] The quality of the "S" version is considered superior to earlier guns - serial number prefix WH 0.177/ZH 0.22"

Also had a little read of 'The Golden Century' which states that the Mk3 was introduced with an articulated cocking lever and an alloy piston head, no mention of the barrel axis pin being replaced by a bolt on the standard rifle, just on the 'S'

[steptoe1966]

Wow well i have always been told the mk3 had the barrel bolt rather than the pin , and over the years all the mk3's i had had the bolt not the pin , i wonder then yours might be a very early mk3 may be that was why asi say i looked on chambers and the mk3 they list the barrel bolt and nut and the pin it is not avalible for the mk3 as the mk3 cylinder has the deep inset for the bolt head and nut .

I would if that is where some are getting mixed up with a mk4 then they call the mk3 with the pin the mk3 and the one with the bolt the mk4 may be

you find new info everyday

good luck on the sale mate

[ken69]

Wow well i have always been told the mk3 had the barrel bolt rather than the pin , and over the years all the mk3's i had had the bolt not the pin , i wonder then yours might be a very early mk3 may be that was why asi say i looked on chambers and the mk3 they list the barrel bolt and nut and the pin it is not avalible for the mk3 as the mk3 cylinder has the deep inset for the bolt head and nut .

I would if that is where some are getting mixed up with a mk4 then they call the mk3 with the pin the mk3 and the one with the bolt the mk4 may be

you find new info everyday

good luck on the sale mate

Totally confused now. Just looked at the Chambers diagram and it looks like the Mk3 has the pin "Mk3 Pin - DP033" and what Chambers are calling the Mk4 has the bolt B1316. However, the barrel part numbers for the Mk3 and Mk4 are the same. Very strange as the bolt would need a larger hole diameter than the pin

[T 20]

Totally confused now. Just looked at the Chambers diagram and it looks like the Mk3 has the pin "Mk3 Pin - DP033" and what Chambers are calling the Mk4 has the bolt B1316. However, the barrel part numbers for the Mk3 and Mk4 are the same. Very strange as the bolt would need a larger hole diameter than the pin

The bolt is the same diameter as the pin so the barrels have the same hole size, Ken.

The bolt head and nut are a larger diameter than the shank and the tension on the jaws is altered by shims.




All the best Mick

[ken69]

The bolt is the same diameter as the pin so the barrels have the same hole size, Ken.

The bolt head and nut are a larger diameter than the shank and the tension on the jaws is altered by shims.




All the best Mick

Thanks Mick, any idea how many Mk’s there were of the standard Mercury and which ones had the pins

[T 20]

Thanks Mick, any idea how many Mk’s there were of the standard Mercury and which ones had the pins

MK1 and MK2 definitely had pins, I have a MK3 cylinder with a cross bolt --- from this thread it appears that not all MK3s had a cross bolt.

This is no surprise as BSA have a history of building what are called transitional guns which use up parts from the previous MK.
As an example, I've had a very early MK2 Airsporter in for repair that had no scope grooves as the cylinder was from a MK1 Airsporter --- BSA just used up the left over MK1 cylinders on the early MK2s.




All the best Mick