Bsa airsporter .177?

[Geezer]

It's my understanding that the first full sized, underlever air rifle BSA produced after the war was launched in 1948 and called the Club initially made in .177 calibre only until the option of a .22 calibre called the Airsporter became available a few months after initial introduction. Both of these rifles were essentially Airsporters, but only the .22 calibre rifle was actually named as the Airsporter. In 1959 a number of changes were made to the design including the designation of the model as the Airsporter whether the rifles were chambered in .177 or .22 calibres. The Club models are very rare and consequently attract higher prices on the few occasions they do appear for sale.

Brian

I believe that is true. It is certainly the case that Clubs are rare and sought after.

The same applies to the contemporary Webley MkIII, also first introduced in .177”.

Despite the pre-war popularity of .22”, lead was expensive and in short supply in the war-ravaged (basically broke) post-war economy. So, in 1947-48, .177” made sense.

As soon as the situation began to ease, .22” moved back to being the preferred sporting option until the late 1980s when, probably influenced first by FT and then by modern PCPs, .177” started increasing in popularity for pest control.

Author’s note. This is please please please not the start of a “1.77 vs 2.2 - which is powerier?” thread derail.

[Hsing-ee]

I believe that is true. It is certainly the case that Clubs are rare and sought after.

The same applies to the contemporary Webley MkIII, also first introduced in .177”.

Despite the pre-war popularity of .22”, lead was expensive and in short supply in the war-ravaged (basically broke) post-war economy. So, in 1947-48, .177” made sense.

As soon as the situation began to ease, .22” moved back to being the preferred sporting option until the late 1980s when, probably influenced first by FT and then by modern PCPs, .177” started increasing in popularity for pest control.

Author’s note. This is please please please not the start of a “1.77 vs 2.2 - which is powerier?” thread derail.

'Fred Grimwade' who I believe was Eddie Barber of AirgunAid in Essex was the first to champion the .177 as a sporting proposition in 1980 or so, on the basis of its accuracy. I bought a Hammerli 401 in .177 on the back of it and did quite well in early FT shoots, it made about 7.6 fpe using RWS Meisterkulgen. I never used it on live quarry, but it would slap the tin chickens down out to 45 yards OK.