BSA Standard Pattern struggling to make good power

[Lakey]

Have you checked for leaks at the tap too? Cock rifle, open tap, hold cocking lever open to rear as if cocking again.

Take a good hold of the cocking lever as if you are de-cocking........pull trigger with free hand and feel what happens, a really good seal will mean the cocking arm will stay way back and hardly move even if you let go, and you can very carefully and slowly open the tap and the cocking lever will slowly return forward when a loading tap is in perfect condition.

Sometimes you will get a gun where you can wait several mins as the cocking lever slowly inches forward, I had a Webley MK3 like this recently!

This is rare though, but you do want some sign of resistance or a slight whistle and slowing on the piston going forward to show the tap is not leaking badly.

It maybe worth taking off the tap cover plate (the tap should open and close with a pronounced resistance or slight click if the small spring and plunger are in good order)........and checking the spring and plunger, you can carefully stretch the springs a bit if needed.


Clean everything and grease the tap taper, and the tap cover plate track lightly, and make sure the plate screws are snug too.


The tap should open and especially close with a pronounced resistance / soft "click" as they did when new, I am lucky to have had / have a couple of very little used guns, and they all have this feature (obviously all Improved or Standard types with the spring plunger system).

Video of what a good one should look / sound like here;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...posted-public/

Every little helps.

ATB, Ed

Wow, astonishing condition Ed. What a lovely thing to have. Those screws don't have a mark on them . You've got to love that sound, and the smell of the light whisps of smoke after firing....... Magic ( shame you can bottle that smell )

Lakey

[edbear2]

Wow, astonishing condition Ed. What a lovely thing to have. Those screws don't have a mark on them . You've got to love that sound, and the smell of the light whisps of smoke after firing....... Magic ( shame you can bottle that smell )

Lakey

Thanks mate, it's a Sporting I have had for a good while that came from a gunsmith when he retired and had been unused for at least 30-40 years he thought, has the original sight protector on too. My go-to rifle for the Quigley and such like in the past, It's shooting at mid 11's (605 fps) just today as I chrono'd it after making that video.

All little used, just needed a new piston washer as the original had dried up and could not be revived when I first got it.

Some more pics here taken a few years ago;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...7615751921626/

ATB, ED

[jirushi]

Thanks mate, it's a Sporting I have had for a good while that came from a gunsmith when he retired and had been unused for at least 30-40 years he thought, has the original sight protector on too. My go-to rifle for the Quigley and such like in the past, It's shooting at mid 11's (605 fps) just today as I chrono'd it after making that video.

All little used, just needed a new piston washer as the original had dried up and could not be revived when I first got it.

Some more pics here taken a few years ago;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/312284...7615751921626/

ATB, ED

Thank you very much Ed for your advice, and please excuse me for my late reply.
The video of the opening and closing of the tap is great; my friend's Standard has a click, but it is not so crisp as in the video.
He told me that the cocking handle doesn't stay open when the trigger is pulled with the tap open (and the cocking handle held tightly for safety!).
Probably the tap leaks a bit. He is however happy with the difference that sizing the piston seal has made. The gun produces about 8.9 ft/lbs now. Could be better, but he will enjoy shooting it first, before tinkering further.
Thank you again for your help,
Louis