BSA production dates/letters/cal's...

[johnbaz]

hopefully

BSA gun date letters
Prefix Gun Calibre Date
A CADET 0.177 1945/46
AA BUCCANEER 0.177 1979-
B CADET 0.177 1946/49
BA CADET 0.177 1949/51
BC CADET 0.177 1951/59
C CADET MAJOR 0.177 1947/49
CA CADET MAJOR 0.177 1949/55
CC CADET MAJOR 0.177 1955/57
DA BUCCANEER 0.22 1979-
E CLUB MK1 0.177 1948/50
EA CLUB MK1 0.177 1950/54
EB CLUB MK1 0.177 1955/57
EC CLUB MK1 0.177 1958
ED CLUB MK2 0.177 1959
EE AIRSPORTER+FEW CLUB MK2 0.177 1959/65
EF AIRSPORTER MK2 0.177 1965/67
EG AIRSPORTER MK2 0.177 1967/68
EK AIRSPORTER MK4 0.177 1969/71
EL AIRSPORTER MK5 0.177 1971/74
EN AIRSPORTER MK5 AND 6 0.177 1974-
EP AIRSPORTER 'S' 0.177 1979-
G AIRSPORTER MK1 0.22 1948/54
GA AIRSPORTER MK1 0.22 1955/56
GB AIRSPORTER MK1 0.22 1956/58
GC AIRSPORTER MK1 0.22 1958/59
GD AIRSPORTER MK2 0.22 1959/65
GE AIRSPORTER MK2 0.22 1965/67
GF AIRSPORTER MK2 0.22 1967/68
GG AIRSPORTER MK2 0.22 1968/69
GI AIRSPORTER MK4 0.22 1969/71
GJ AIRSPORTER MK5 0.22 1971/74
GL AIRSPORTER MK 5 AND 6 0.22 1974-
GM AIRSPORTER 'S' 0.22 1979-
K MERLIN 0.177 1962/64
KA MERLIN 0.177 1964/68
L MERLIN 0.22 1962/64
LA MERLIN 0.22 1964/68
M CADET MAJOR 1947/48
N METEOR MK1 0.177 1959/62
NA METEOR MK2 0.177 1962/66
NB METEOR MK2 0.177 1966/68
ND METEOR MK3 0.177 1967/69
NE METEOR MK3 AND SUPER METEOR MK3 0.177 1969/73
NG METEOR MK4 AND SUPER METEOR MK4 0.177 1973-79
NH METEOR MK5 AND SUPER METEOR MK5 0.177 1979-
PA SCORPION 0.177 1977-
PB SCORPION 0.22 1977-
T METEOR MK1 0.22 1959/62
TA METEOR MK2 0.22 1962/66
TB METEOR MK2 0.22 1966/68
TD METEOR + SUPER MK3 0.22 1967/69
TE METEOR + SUPER MK3 0.22 1969/73
TG METEOR + SUPER MK4 0.22 1974/78
TH METEOR + SUPER 0.22 1979-
W CADET 0.177 1949/50
W MERCURY MK1 0.177 1971/73
WB MERCURY MK2 0.177 1974/78
WC MERCURY MK3 0.177 1978-
WH MERCURY S 0.177 1980-
Y CADET MAJOR 0.177 1949-
Z MERCURY MK1 0.22 1971/73
ZB MERCURY MK2 0.22 1974/78
ZC MERCURY MK3 0.22 1978-
ZH MERCURY S 0.22 1980-

i can't remember where i copied this from but i wrote it out by hand about 15 years ago

there may be updates but i don't know of any...

there are two 'W's, one for a cadet and one for a mercury, this is just how i copied it and dennis hiller seems to bear this out in his enlarged third edition of the collectors book of air rifles

hope this helps someone

thanks to magicesperanto for telling me how to put up on here (i hadn't a clue yet it was so easy


regards, john

[I. J.]

Excellent. Thank you John. Perhaps the mods could make this a 'Sticky' for this section and we can refer the many 'What year/model/gun' type enquires to it.

ATB
Ian

[johnbaz]

damn- i just spent ten minutes opening the spaces up again and by the time i'd finished, it had logged me out, i was told that i don't have permission to take this action and that i should refresh the page


john

[I. J.]

Additional:

AR - Supersport .177
AS - Spitfire .177

C - Standard Club.177

DN - Super Ten .177
DP - Super Ten .177 ?

ER - Airsporter S Mk II .177 1983-85
ES - Airsporter S MkIII 1985-86
ET - Stutzen & Carbine .177 1985-86

GN - Airsporter Mk VII .22 1983-86
GP - Airsporter S Mk II .22 1985-85
GS - Goldstar .22 1991-2000
GT - Goldstar .177 1991-2000

RA - Scorpion pistol .22 1972 -
RB - Scorpion pistol.22 1972-94

RH - Superstar .22 1990-2001

T - BSA Standard .22 1936-39

ZR - Airsporter RB2 .22 1992-2000
ZT - Airsporter RB2 Stutzen .22 1992-2000
1A - Firebird .177 2001-current
2A - Firebird .22 2001 - current.

According to The Golden Century by John Knibbs.

ATB
Ian

[christy]

Many thanks johnbaz and I. J. been looking for that info for yonks.

[gemini163]

what he says ^^ thanks John & Ian

[slug-gun]

There is also a very exhaustive list of serial number prefixes, rifles and dates in the back pages of John Knibbs' book, "The Golden Century".