The BSA Standard ???

[rapidboy1]

Im looking for help with a little BSA rifle.
First i'd like to date it, i found another S prefix rifle from 1920, any websites to check or any other info to be had from the serial number ?, (S48197).
Edit, John Knibbs says "BSA Standard No 2 Air Rifle .22, 1919 - 1936"
Any way to be more exact ?
Im seeing some without the BSA checkering ?
Front sight looks ok but rear sight is missing a blade, any ideas for sourcing a replacement ?
It looks like the aperture sight was added at some time, its some sort of BSA sight ?
It shooting well and running at 9.95ft/lbs with RWS super field, 15.9gr, (everything sounds and feels good), is that about right ?
"Lock" and "Adjust" screws ?
Finally any idea of value ?

I will try and upload a few pics .....

[rapidboy1]

[rapidboy1]

[rapidboy1]

[lightning22]

Looks lovely!

Protek keep the rear sight blades as well as various spares.

http://www.proteksupplies.co.uk/bsa-...jor-parts.html

[slug-gun]

One of the last 'S' pattern Standards, so 1935/6 (which started in 1919) - I think from memory the numbers stopped at around S.55000. From 1936-9 the 'T' prefix took over though there seemed to be no difference between a 'T' and a late 'S' like yours?

That little aperture sight is a rare accessory, adds quite a lot to the overall desirability of the rifle.

[Geezer]

Sweet.

The “LOCK” and “ADJUST” screws are to adjust the trigger. Then lock down the adjustment.

[rapidboy1]

Thanks, what would be a fair price for it ?
Its not mine but i spent a few hours with it today and its a lovely thing, i wouldn't mind giving it a home but depends on what the owner decides to do with it.

[Huttles94]

Thanks, what would be a fair price for it ?
Its not mine but i spent a few hours with it today and its a lovely thing, i wouldn't mind giving it a home but depends on what the owner decides to do with it.

In my opinion, a ball park figure would be around £200 to £250 maybe a bit more, mainly because it still has some etching on plus the BSA no 22 rear sight.

I have bought bog standard 'Standard's' in the past for less than £150.

So yeah, I personally would say it could easily fetch £250.

[micky2]

l would go along with at least £260 +

[andrewM]

l would go along with at least £260 +

From the photographs, this appears to be an attractive Standard. The rear aperture sight is rare. Strange that the screws that hold it in place have been somewhat defaced; why would anyone wish to remove the sight, given it folds downwards, into place? It looks as if they have been tightened time and again but perhaps as part of the zeroing process.

The power might be greater than the 9.95ft/lbs you report. These rifles are sensitive to pellets. Try Superdomes and see what they produce. I have found them to be accurate in these rifles. The Standards were designed to perform at between 11 to 12ft/lbs.

As a lightning22 suggests, try Protek for the rear sight blade. Failing that, Knibbs.

I would put the value at nearer to £300 and perhaps more. It appears to be in good condition to me (with the exception of the two screws), and assuming all in good working order, it might be possible to get £350 plus for it, given the addition of the rear sight. If I was looking for a specimen like this, I would certainly contemplate paying a higher price than those suggested earlier. However, you would have to replace the missing rear sight blade, first.

Rgds
A

[WebleyWombler]

It does look nice but am not to sure about that underlever pivot pin. I thought they all had screws and keepers round that period. I think the gun is a mix of early and late parts, could anyone else comment?

Value, looks in the £250-£260 range or possibly a tad higher, but not much.

My buying has had to stop very suddenly due to a health problem so I have no axe to grind

[Josie & John]

The pivot pin is correct for this age of rifle.

The two screws on the peep sight are used to zero the rifle as AndrewM alludes and appear to have been butchered by someone that did not have the correct sized screwdriver to do the job.

With etching and a BSA No 22 peep sight present along with a good deal of the rifle's original finish, I would price the rifle at £300+.

Kind regards,

John M

[Lakey]

The rifle is in above average order, with a good finish and visible etching. I would put a price of £250-300. I think the BSA aperture sight has been added after the gun left the factory, as the cut out in the stock has been clumsily done with quite a lot more wood removed that you might expect. It has been done a long time, so may well be contemporary with the early life of the gun. Other than that its a good late BSA Standard Air Rifle.

Fitting a new rear sight blade is a bit more fiddly and time consuming than most people realise. If you look closely at the rearsight block you will see the edges of the milled out grooves, that the sight blade runs in are angled, like a mini dovetailed joint. This was so the long "legs" of the rearsight blade didn't bend outwards with long hard use. To fit an after market blade in you have to re-produce those angles with a file, otherwise the blade doesnt fit right. Small but time consuming point.

Lakey

[Lakey]

I would also date the gun between 1932 and 1936, as that is when the more angular stock was used on the S prefix guns. After 1936, S prefix guns became T prefix guns.

Lakey