Anyone re barrelled an Airsporter?

[Popped]

Does it not shoot or can you not just fit a second hand barrel

[Airsporterman]

Does it not shoot or can you not just fit a second hand barrel

This would seem to be the obvious solution, 2nd hand barrels and Air cylinders can be picked up from various places including that auction site not mentioned (for some reason) In the case of the Mk2 (as in the Mk1) the rifles serial no (or identity) is stamped on the trigger block and not on the actual barrel (as is the case of later Airsporter Mks) therefore, if the barrel and air cylinder (complete unit) were swapped in this way, only the person doing the change could ever be aware.
There are plenty of 'donor' rifles out there, I personally don't see a problem in 'maintaining' cars, motorcycles or old rifles in this way - if the donor has been broken up for parts anyway! (sorry if I have upset the 'purists' in any way)
The important thing, is that these fine old girls are allowed to exist/function and give their owners (and subsequent owners) pleasure for many more years to come.
Only saying like!
If it's the 'challenge' of actually changing the barrel - then just go for it, however, the rifle remains 'changed' or 'modified' and therefore not true to 'purists'.

ASM

[DEAN C.]

This would seem to be the obvious solution, 2nd hand barrels and Air cylinders can be picked up from various places including that auction site not mentioned (for some reason) In the case of the Mk2 (as in the Mk1) the rifles serial no (or identity) is stamped on the trigger block and not on the actual barrel (as is the case of later Airsporter Mks) therefore, if the barrel and air cylinder (complete unit) were swapped in this way, only the person doing the change could ever be aware.
There are plenty of 'donor' rifles out there, I personally don't see a problem in 'maintaining' cars, motorcycles or old rifles in this way - if the donor has been broken up for parts anyway! (sorry if I have upset the 'purists' in any way)
The important thing, is that these fine old girls are allowed to exist/function and give their owners (and subsequent owners) pleasure for many more years to come.
Only saying like!
If it's the 'challenge' of actually changing the barrel - then just go for it, however, the rifle remains 'changed' or 'modified' and therefore not true to 'purists'.

ASM

Has anyone seen many .177 second hand Airsporter barrels? And if you buy a cylinder/action you dont need to re barrel in the first place.

If it was a .22 it wouldn't be worth doing, and I have about 9 of those already.

This could end up being a custom job with a nice chunky 16" .177 rapid 7 barrel I have sitting in the drawer.

I have thought about looking for a Mercury .177 barrel and machining it as an option.

[DEAN C.]

Does it not shoot or can you not just fit a second hand barrel

You have lost me with that one! :

It would shoot but it will never group well.

I hope that I am not stating the obvious but the Airsporter is an under lever action with a fixed (brazed in barrel). Not quite as easy to change as a break barrel action unfortunately. Thanks for the suggestion.
I bought the only .177 action/barrel that I have seen on the auction site, and it is this one.

[oliver13]

Just a footnote really, but the compression tube on my Mk6 had a distinct line of silver coloured brazing visible at the join with the breech. I've always assumed it was silver solder,
It may be wise to confirm exactly what it was before you braze on a new barrel & the compression tube comes off...

What about a mechanical solution with removable barrel fitted into a rebate a bit like the old Webley Hawk's, with a screw to secure it. You could have .177, .22 & a .25 barrel for special occasions?

[Shed tuner]

What about a mechanical solution with removable barrel fitted into a rebate a bit like the old Webley Hawk's, with a screw to secure it. You could have .177, .22 & a .25 barrel for special occasions?

Or just have screw in barrels

[DEAN C.]

Just a footnote really, but the compression tube on my Mk6 had a distinct line of silver coloured brazing visible at the join with the breech. I've always assumed it was silver solder,
It may be wise to confirm exactly what it was before you braze on a new barrel & the compression tube comes off...

What about a mechanical solution with removable barrel fitted into a rebate a bit like the old Webley Hawk's, with a screw to secure it. You could have .177, .22 & a .25 barrel for special occasions?

I think the tap loader would need to be changed for different calibres which would make it a bit fiddly, but making a rebate would work and a grub screw to lock it similar to how a Rapid barrel fits would be a good idea, and you could have different barrel lengths to experiment with, and different manufacturers barrels.