-
Airsporter barrels of this era were 485mm (19.1”) standard, and 500mm (19.7”) on the S.
It’s interesting that they were round numbers in metric. Supplied from abroad? I don’t know.
The muzzles were indeed counter-bored (larger, non-rifled bit at the end).
The front sight block has a small male lug that fits a shallow female depression cut into in the top of the barrel.
Slightly behind that, a vertical screw running through the front sight block (look at the diagram on Chambers) fits a tapped and threaded vertical hole in the barrel. IIRC, the latter hole is both in and goes through the counter-bored section, not the rifling. The screw either does not protrude inside, or only does a tiny bit, and not enough to impede pellet flight.
I’ve read suggestions that the counter-boring was intended to protect the crown from damage in the field.
It does that, but, if I am right in the para above, I suggest it was primarily adopted to allow the front sight to be screwed on from above as described without having to work with very fine tolerances or risk a random “choking” effect by pushing the top of the rifling down a bit in manufacture.
PS: U.K. Neil retired and sold up his machinery a few years ago.
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules