BSA Mercury

[jackal1]

A local farmer has just given me a mk1 BSA Mercury that i would like to bring back to nice shootable condition. Quite a few years ago i bought a tuning kit for my other Mercury from a chap that used to be on here called Bonny and Clyde i think. Anyway it was a good kit and i would like one for this Mercury too. Is there anyone that sells kits for theses rifles now? Thanks in advance.

[look no hands]

A local farmer has just given me a mk1 BSA Mercury that i would like to bring back to nice shootable condition. Quite a few years ago i bought a tuning kit for my other Mercury from a chap that used to be on here called Bonny and Clyde i think. Anyway it was a good kit and i would like one for this Mercury too. Is there anyone that sells kits for theses rifles now? Thanks in advance.

If you want a kit like B & C, then you will have to go to Welsh Willy as he bought everything off of him, they are also very good kits, I have a few in my rifles.

Pete

[jackal1]

If you want a kit like B & C, then you will have to go to Welsh Willy as he bought everything off of him, they are also very good kits, I have a few in my rifles.

Pete

Thanks i will have a look for one of those.

The barrel pivot pin is very loose and there is movement up and down of the barrel so i will need to get that sorted first i think.

[evert]

Could prove difficult to get an "off the shelf" spring and guide kit for the Mercury, but Knibbs makes a rear guide that is supposed to fit better than the original, just make sure to find a spring that matches.

[gunshop]

Could prove difficult to get an "off the shelf" spring and guide kit for the Mercury, but Knibbs makes a rear guide that is supposed to fit better than the original, just make sure to find a spring that matches.

Those spring guides are designed to work with the standard spring or even better the Titan Spring, the No1 spring is the correct spring and that will also fit the Titan Spring guide, power boosters and top hat.

[look no hands]

Could prove difficult to get an "off the shelf" spring and guide kit for the Mercury, but Knibbs makes a rear guide that is supposed to fit better than the original, just make sure to find a spring that matches.

Welsh Willy kits are made to order and will take a while to get to the customer but they are well made and are basically drop in with no spring shortening needed.

Pete

[steve B]

How about back to tradition and make a coke bottle sleeve? Love my Mercury which a cousin pinched for his farm. Main issue was barrell wobble which a vise will sort. I think many years back Bowkett did a mod which replaced the barrel pin with a bolt that could be tightened.

[rapidresponse1]

good luck with your mercury great guns

[edbear2]

Chambers used to do a uning kit which you could chose the spring etc. on and came with green nylon bushes etc., which worked brilliantly in a MK3 Mercury I had a few years ago, highly recommended.

ATB, ED

[Joseyw]

Welsh Willy kits are made to order and will take a while to get to the customer but they are well made and are basically drop in with no spring shortening needed.

Pete

+ 1 for WW kit, recently put one in Airsporter, works great.

[TonyL]

Welsh Willy kits are made to order and will take a while to get to the customer but they are well made and are basically drop in with no spring shortening needed.

Pete

+ 1 for WW kit, recently put one in Airsporter, works great.

Just what I fitted to my Mercury S back in January 2020 and a very smooth shooter it is, as witnessed by a fair few people who tried it at last weekend's Boinger Bash. Highly recommended.

Be prepared to have to replace the piston 'O' ring & buffer and the breech seal. If it has a nylon piston head unit I think most replace with the alloy one? Re the breech seal, I'd go fir a genuine BSA one. Weihrauch ones can, reportedly, work very well but may need slightly altering?

If the piston buffer has degraded and turned to mush, the piston may take a little persuading to see daylight!

And a good few people recommend increasing the stroke slightly by shortening the central piston rod and drilling a new hole for the head fixing and doing away with the buffer altogether. Just ensure there's sufficient clearance between the rear of the cocking lever and the slot in the piston if doing this.

Hope this helps.

[jjjohn]

Thanks i will have a look for one of those.

The barrel pivot pin is very loose and there is movement up and down of the barrel so i will need to get that sorted first i think.

If the pivot pin holes are egg shaped ish then there not much you can do.If not excessive open sights will keep on target a scope wouldn't.But i'm sure you knew that already

[dashsix]

If the pivot pin holes are egg shaped ish then there not much you can do.If not excessive open sights will keep on target a scope wouldn't.But i'm sure you knew that already

Had this problem with my Supersport, pivot hole in breech block was oversize, I made and press fitted some phosphor bronze bushes, and bored back to standard size.

[jackal1]

The more i look at this gun the more i think it isn't worth the the money and effort to make it right again. It has a hairline crack across the pistol grip, a bent barrel, worn pivot pin holes and would want ceracoting to make it look tidy. That's before we get to the tuning bit.

[pajj]

Can't see it being financially justifiable on any terms. Even if you get it performing perfectly it will still be a non original repaired Mercury. You have to decide is it worth the expense in terms of an hobby/interest project. If not give it to someone who enjoys tinkering. IMHO tuning kits on old BSA's isn't the best return on investment any way.