What is the sweat spot year for a prewar .22 BSA Standard?

[45flint]

Curious to those who are in the place where most all variants are probably available.

[Garvin]

Sweet, Steve, not sweat!

Personally I prefer the pre-WW1 BSAs, which had things like cast trigger guards instead of pressed steel guards. Basically the inter-war designs had started to show manufacturing economies whereas the earlier rifles were made up to a standard. But all prewar BSAs are great shooters IMO.

[45flint]

Guess I was sweating what the answer would be, have a new to me BSA Standard on the way!

[hookerball]

You just cant beat them. I have a early tidy one number 40ish if im correct.

[isobar]

i havn't shot a pre 1914 rifle but have a 1919 standard that has the cast trigger guard.i have seen the pre-war rifles and they do look very nicely made,the piston on my example is the longer,heavier one,if i remember correctly the pre-war rifles had the shorter,lighter pistons and supposedly made a little more power.i really like the look of the straight stock alternative.

[Josie & John]

I like them all!

Sorry Steve, I know that's of no help in answering your question.

John

[Chippendale]

I like them all!

Sorry Steve, I know that's of no help in answering your question.

John

Me too.
Melv

Chippendale. (with clothes on)

[keith66]

i havn't shot a pre 1914 rifle but have a 1919 standard that has the cast trigger guard.i have seen the pre-war rifles and they do look very nicely made,the piston on my example is the longer,heavier one,if i remember correctly the pre-war rifles had the shorter,lighter pistons and supposedly made a little more power.i really like the look of the straight stock alternative.

I have a rather beaten up Imp mod D from 1910, a .22 it is retired now as the rifling isnt that good & it tends to chuck flyers. It has the heavy piston & to be honest i think those ones are capable of more power not less!

[isobar]

quite possible as my freshish .22 example has plenty of power.

[silva]

I have a rather beaten up Imp mod D from 1910, a .22 it is retired now as the rifling isnt that good & it tends to chuck flyers. It has the heavy piston & to be honest i think those ones are capable of more power not less!

Yes I agree.

[trajectory]

Curious to those who are in the place where most all variants are probably available.

Was intrigued by the title, in the index of posts it was 'Sweat spot' but now I see that it's 'sweet spot' in the post itself.

I don't think there's a particular year of manufacture that stands out when you look at the Standards from the inter war years. If you find a good to great condition one that's been well looked after you will have a very solid well made & potentially pretty accurate air rifle. There may be slight variations between one rifle & another but I don't think the variations encountered either increase/ decrease in frequency or degree by age. It's just the variations you might expect to see in a well controlled manufacturing industry that is making a well designed product with good quality materials by a well trained & experienced workforce.
You kind of know they are good because they are mostly still doing what they were designed to do all these years later.

[45flint]

New in the door yesterday, a 1912, complements my 1914. This has the 3 rifle stamp on the stock and metal buttplate which was dropped by 1914. Haven’t shot it yet but cocks and seems fine. Want to take it apart and check it out first. To me this is the sweet spot, I really like the side button cocking arm and the longer pistol grip stock. Classic. Common in the UK, these are not an easy find over here in the US.

[Josie & John]

BSAs in that condition are not that common this of the pond Steve!

Well done (again).

John

[45flint]

BSAs in that condition are not that common this of the pond Steve!

Well done (again).

John

Bluing shows its age, the shine you see is a coat of oil I put on to clean it. But I’m am very pleased the stock’s, three rifles are still crisp. Hoping for original spring, we will see.

[Geezer]

New in the door yesterday, a 1912, complements my 1914. This has the 3 rifle stamp on the stock and metal buttplate which was dropped by 1914. Haven’t shot it yet but cocks and seems fine. Want to take it apart and check it out first. To me this is the sweet spot, I really like the side button cocking arm and the longer pistol grip stock. Classic. Common in the UK, these are not an easy find over here in the US.

The “three rifles stamp” is better known as the piled arms trademark. Nice find.