A Bsa Cadet/ Major/Meteor one???

[Tinram]

I’ve got quite a few BSA’s in my collection and have worked on a number of cadets & cadet majors over the years. I have only experienced “wobble” at the breech once with a cadet major but quite a few times with later models eg later Mk Meteors

[isobar]

my cadets are ok,one has a little play but not a problem.they seem very robustly made hence the high survival rate,mostly battered to be fair.i really like cadets even the battered ones.i have a very scruffy one that shoots really well due to comparatively good trigger.

[pjbingham]

I have 10+ Cadets and C.Majors all with varying degrees of wear and tear and none have any noticeable play. I had x1 Mk3 Meteor with little usage and that was sloppy

[johnbaz]

The Cadets are fine Guy, The breech is milled from a solid bar I think, The Meteors (At least from mk3 onwards) are almost tinplate at the breech, It's pressed sheet steel that seems to be brazed together, They're bad for opening at the jaws as the stock screws pull them apart when tightened because the screwholes are directly below the jaws!!

This pic shows how they're hollow at the breech if you look through the pin holes!, I tried clamping this one years ago with the barrel in place and it squashed the jaws!!


Have to say, I hate the Meteors for the cheapness and bad quality although i've not witnessed this with my mk1 and mk2

Also, It doesn't happen with the Mercury's as I think those are solid at the jaws!


John

[Dornfelderliebe]

Crossing threads with replacing that awful BSA breech pin.
I've just got one of mine back today from being machined where the outer face of the jaw wall has been enlarged to enable a slightly shortened Mercury S bolt to sit against the inner wall.
I tried to upload photos and failed again. As I said just now I do not speak the language.
I shall be testing it this week to see if the inner wall is strong enough to cope, but the bolt has allowed the splayed jaws to be put back to square.
ATB DFL

[keith66]

I acquired a 1970's Meteor a few years ago, I must say its a bit of a disapointment. 50 years ago when i got my first Meteor for christmas it was like getting a Purdey! Aah well.

[ggggr]

Ok----Have a think about it

Meteors have hollowish breech jaws and the front stock screw brackets below the jaws --and have a problem with the jaws opening up.

Mercurys have more solid jaws and the stock screw bracket is not on the jaws. However later Mercurys have a bolt barrel pivot ----------so that must be because of a problem.

Weihrauch knew they had a problem so they just fitted the bolt from the start.

Cadets and Majors don't have the problem because they are either better designed or better built!