The Phantom Piston Driller Strikes Again!!!!

[edbear2]

About 11 months ago, I was rebuilding an old Lincoln, and found on dis-assembly that the piston had been lightened by the simple expedient of drilling it full of holes ......At the time I remember people posting on here that it was something people did years ago to try and speed up the lock time as it were, and to possibly reduce the recoil effect of the heavy standard unit.......the Lincoln is now back 100% original, and shoots very well..

Lincoln piston...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7607860743867/

I never imagined I would see another, but today, whilst investigating why an early double sear standard was so "twangy"....I found another!.....this guy was REALLY determined......there are more holes than piston!......all in all a strange gun with lots of signs of tinkering.....notice the buttplate above the piston in the photo....the stock has been reduced from 14 1/4".....to 13 3/4", and the cast steel buttplate looks like it has been on there for 50 years at least.......It's 1/4" thick and weighs a ton.........the more of these old BSA's I play with, The less I am surprised by anything that has been done to them over the years

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7607860743867/

P.S.....Message to Lakey......mate, you have probably been inside more of these old BSA's than most people.....have you come across many like this, or am I just lucky/unlucky...(delete as appropriate).......ATB,Ed

[magicniner]

It's a neater pattern on the second piston
Nice guns those,
Nick

[Lakey]

Hi Ed,

I think you are very lucky to have come across two guns modified in such a way. Like you say, this guy has invested some serious time and thought into reducing the weight of that piston!!. I have been inside most of my BSA's at one time or another, as like you I like to check out the piston washer and cylinder, and generally re-lube, before shooting with any new gun. I have never seen this kind of mod before.

Correct me if I am wrong, but like BSA, I value the heavy weight pistons of the BSA underlever range. In fact, BSA added weight to their pistons in the form of an extention to the back of the piston skirt, in later Standards and T patterns - presumably to increase power?

The only reasons I would think someone would drill out a piston in that way was maybe to try and make the gun smoother, or reduce its power for indoor shooting or something like that ?

eitherway an interesting mod. Thanks for posting up the pics.


Lakey

[I. J.]

Metal woodworm?

ATB
Ian

[BIGRAY]

It's a power increace modby lightening piston increaces speed the chamber is compressed never used it my self but was populal in times past before we had ox springs etc that were fit to maintain speed of travel on weighted piston.

[Hsing-ee]

Might reduce power as well. Looks horrible too. Its like a pretty woman with too many piercings. Better stick to how Nature intended, or BSA in this case.

A synthetic head and buttoning might be acceptable - on the rifle that is. I guess the tuner was just doing their best to improve the rifle according to their lights.

[Sam Vimes]

A synthetic head and buttoning might be acceptable

Ohhh, wash your mouth out with soap!

[edbear2]

About 11 months ago, I was rebuilding an old Lincoln, and found on dis-assembly that the piston had been lightened by the simple expedient of drilling it full of holes ......At the time I remember people posting on here that it was something people did years ago to try and speed up the lock time as it were, and to possibly reduce the recoil effect of the heavy standard unit.......the Lincoln is now back 100% original, and shoots very well..

Lincoln piston...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7607860743867/

I never imagined I would see another, but today, whilst investigating why an early double sear standard was so "twangy"....I found another!.....this guy was REALLY determined......there are more holes than piston!......all in all a strange gun with lots of signs of tinkering.....notice the buttplate above the piston in the photo....the stock has been reduced from 14 1/4".....to 13 3/4", and the cast steel buttplate looks like it has been on there for 50 years at least.......It's 1/4" thick and weighs a ton.........the more of these old BSA's I play with, The less I am surprised by anything that has been done to them over the years

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7607860743867/

P.S.....Message to Lakey......mate, you have probably been inside more of these old BSA's than most people.....have you come across many like this, or am I just lucky/unlucky...(delete as appropriate).......ATB,Ed

I DON'T BELIEVE THIS..come on...own up, who's been sneaking in my house at night with a drill.......is this a wind up or not????????

The standard I recently posted about buying unseen, was running on the limit today......and looked a bit smoky.....so I though "no problem, will just pop the back off and degrease/relube it........no need to say what I found........





http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...15726/sizes/l/






Yep.......the mad drill man has been at it again.mind you, he is starting to get lazy........only three in this one......he was pushing so hard he marked the piston rod..this one, as were the Lincoln and Mod D before, were obtained within a 50 mile radius of where I live.......maybe it's a local tradition (like black faced morris men)

[jonnyone]

They say lightning never strikes the same spot twice but looks like its hit you three times

I think I.Js suggestion above should be given some serious thought and investigation

Take a look at my thread about a strange discovery on a s/h HW80 Ive just posted. Looks like this character may have moved on from piston drilling and now prefers transfer ports:

Good luck with the rifles!

Dave

[red bob]

some interesting ideas here but im not totaly convinced ;when considering the deceleration at point of compression the lighter piston guide holds less mass thereby slowing more quickly in consequence resulting in less swept volume under maximum compression for less time.this is only my personnel opinion based on college physics and many late nights bringing basket cases back to life;but one thing i have noticed rather like loud exhausts on corsas very little is gained.