Another prewar BSA double sear project Patent 30338-10

[stevegv8]

A while ago I had a thread on a project BSA side button under lever of about 1914 with the double "safety sear" trigger (I'd ad the link if I knew how or could find it, if anyone can find and insert it please do).
It was a badly bodged effort where the second sear notch of the piston rod had been removed (or failed)? that I took on because I wanted a side button BSA and a model with a straight hand stock, so two in one but it was in need of a correct piston, or rod at least and trigger/sear arrangement as it also had one of the sears removed but they removed the wrong one so it didn't latch up.
Little did I know what trouble finding these bits would be, I searched fairs and on here and the best I could eventually get was to find a worn double sear through this forum, so I had a start.
Then by borrowing parts for pattern from local Mike Sharpe I had a piston rod made and the sear reprofiled, this got it complete & working again with the hope one day I might find some decent original parts to do it properly.

Then this week I was offered "a very old BSA that's in bits" by a bloke I know although it was owned by another bloke I know, so I looked because if cheap old spare parts are worth grabbing of course.

Turns out it is also a side button and a double sear type because I spotted the patent number on the trigger block (I know the patent No. by heart now) but this time with a pistol grip with heel type stock and serial 200 lower than mine, the first gun being S77xxx and this is S75xxx.
Just like my other one, inside is a far too long single sear piston and I thought "here we go again" do I have the remade parts in my first one copied and try for another gun or just stick with it as spares as first thought? However as a bonus and a decider, there was also a bag of bits which included a spare correct two sear piston and a spare double sear still in it's trigger block, serial S6xxxx. It then turned out that it at least still has the correct and nice condition double sear trigger set up inside.
The sear in the spare block is the early two spring type the one in the gun is the BSA modified riveted fixed type.
On inquiring it turns out the owners dad bought it over 25 years ago not working and spent some time finding the correct spares but never did anything with it.

I can now fit an unmolested original sear to my 1st one, maybe I'll have to fettle the notches in the piston rod though, and put the new one back together too with any luck. It has a long spring with it that with some coils taken off should make it all come back together.

It's so odd that I spent a couple of years trying to find parts for project 1 and then all this all turns up half a mile away!
It's actually slightly better condition than project 1 and as you see from the pics the screws are original and not badly beaten up, has the original stock end cap too! The etching has gone of course and sadly the rear sight adjusting screw wheel is missing and the fore sight upper profile nipped off, normal stuff I suppose for these.
Also the new one is .177 and the first is .22 so now I have one of each.

Anyone got a sight adjusting wheel to sell by the way?

https://imgur.com/a/GzCQtUo

[Josie & John]

All's well that ends well. I'm delighted for you Steve.

Kind regards,

John

[rapidresponse1]

good luck with it

[zeroscore]

my mate has some parts steve clear your inbox

[stevegv8]

my mate has some parts steve clear your inbox

Done now

[stevegv8]

This wasn't to be a restoration thread but a little update, assembled all the parts to test it and as it's under lever not break barrel I overlooked finding the fact that there's a pellet already jammed in the barrel and so have added another when test firing, silly mistake.
Jammed solid now so I hope it's just two but obviously could be more. No bother, will overcome this.

I'll take reference from both the Knibbs and John's excellent BSA books but would like to test knowledge here anyway by asking about the fact that these two differ in length by 2 inches. Both are serials starting S and are 200 apart as stated above but the new one has a shorter cylinder which I only noticed when I eventually put them side by side, 77xxx is 45 1/2 inches (straight hand stock) versus 43 1/2 inches for 75xxx (pistol grip with heel stock) so suspect I have a standard and a light pattern? Asking because my 1920's light pattern L15xxx is 40 inches so is 3 inches shorter again, all 3 stocks are 14 1/4 inch.

[Josie & John]

This wasn't to be a restoration thread but a little update, assembled all the parts to test it and as it's under lever not break barrel I overlooked finding the fact that there's a pellet already jammed in the barrel and so have added another when test firing, silly mistake.
Jammed solid now so I hope it's just two but obviously could be more. No bother, will overcome this.

I'll take reference from both the Knibbs and John's excellent BSA books but would like to test knowledge here anyway by asking about the fact that these two differ in length by 2 inches. Both are serials starting S and are 200 apart as stated above but the new one has a shorter cylinder which I only noticed when I eventually put them side by side, 77xxx is 45 1/2 inches (straight hand stock) versus 43 1/2 inches for 75xxx (pistol grip with heel stock) so suspect I have a standard and a light pattern? Asking because my 1920's light pattern L15xxx is 40 inches so is 3 inches shorter again, all 3 stocks are 14 1/4 inch.

Hi Steve,

You have two Standards; a 43 1/2 inch 'Standard' length pre WW1 .177 and a .22 Sporting model, which had the longer cylinder. Both are fine rifles.

Kind regards,

John

[stevegv8]

Hi Steve,

You have two Standards; a 43 1/2 inch 'Standard' length pre WW1 .177 and a .22 Sporting model, which had the longer cylinder. Both are fine rifles.

Kind regards,

John

Thanks John I've not done the homework yet as the jammed pellet issue was the main concern and looked for an info short cut here as a clue, pleased that I have a .177 & a .22

Anyway it wasn't two pellets stuck, more like twenty two!! Can't believe anyone would just keep pumping them in! It might be why it was sold
to me as cheap spares, he knew more than he let on perhaps as it was his dad's very old project.
I'm having the rear sight adjusting screw remade although less the ridge knurling and T shaped scribe on it's top.
Might make a fresh post about this ordeal for a giggle.


https://imgur.com/a/hjs0uOJ