BSA Mercury Project

[Gamocfx]

Hi,
Earlier this year I saved a couple of pictures from this forum of a BSA Mercury with a beautiful dark stock, telescopic sights and what looks like a barrel shroud?? Possibly the rifle belonged to JonBaz?
Has anyone done this as it looks great and I have two Mercury rifles that need attention so one may get a little extra lavished upon it.
I have few skills but thought it may make a good project to add to my portfolio of success which includes changing a Meteor spring and a Supersport breech seal!
Next mountain to climb will be learning how to post pictures on this forum!

[rapidresponse1]

nice project you have

[evert]

Have you gotten the Mercury to perform well first?
That should be the first part, getting energy and accuracy.

[Gamocfx]

Thanks Evert this morning I bought a kit from Chambers which included all seals, washers and a new standard spring plus some grease, it was fairly cheap at £19.00
I also have the site for a tube to go over the barrel once this work is done. (I have a shortened barrel from gggr) I am stuck at work though for the next couple of days and I am not sure of the outside diameter of the barrel.

[evert]

Thanks Evert this morning I bought a kit from Chambers which included all seals, washers and a new standard spring plus some grease, it was fairly cheap at £19.00
I also have the site for a tube to go over the barrel once this work is done. (I have a shortened barrel from gggr) I am stuck at work though for the next couple of days and I am not sure of the outside diameter of the barrel.

BSA barrels are usually around 15,5mm

[Gamocfx]

Thanks Evert... so if I order a tube with a 15mm inner diameter is it possible to sand off a bit all around the BSA barrel to make it fit? I wonder if this is how its done?

[look no hands]

Thanks Evert... so if I order a tube with a 15mm inner diameter is it possible to sand off a bit all around the BSA barrel to make it fit? I wonder if this is how its done?

You'd be surprised how that .5mm makes things tight, sanding it down won't do too much and it wouldn't be even, you'd be better off putting it in a lathe, you could get one of the BSA Lightning shrouds, I'm not sure if using a tube with a 16mm ID would work if you put lots of Loctite on the barrel and then the tube over it?

By the way BSA did two sizes of barrel, standard is 15.5mm and 17.5 on the S models.

[johnbaz]

Hi Carl

Do you mean this one?, I was told recently that a chap called John Francis most likely made the sleeve, I know a John Francis here in Sheffield but haven't seen him since before the first covid outbreak, If it's the same one he's a lovely fella and really knows his way around airguns, He got my Superten up to scratch and reblued the barrel whilst he had it as it had raindrop marks on it!








John

[Gamocfx]

NoHands I suspect that you are correct... trying to lose .5 of a mm is probably a lot to take off by hand... maybe 16mm would be smarter like you say and hope that the glue fills the tiny .5mm void between the two tubes? I have a spare barrel to try but will hold fire until others who have done this before let me know what they have done. Taking the Mercury apart will be the equivalent of brain surgery with the added spice of a spring under pressure!The rifle wont push a pellet out at the moment despite a new breach seal so there is nothing lost in trying

[Gamocfx]

Hi Carl

Do you mean this one?, I was told recently that a chap called John Francis most likely made the sleeve, I know a John Francis here in Sheffield but haven't seen him since before the first covid outbreak, If it's the same one he's a lovely fella and really knows his way around airguns, He got my Superten up to scratch and reblued the barrel whilst he had it as it had raindrop marks on it!








John

Oh John yes that is the one.... a thing of beauty. I wont get close to that standard but that is the inspiration for resurrecting the Mercury that I have. If you did the work on the stock I tip my hat to you.... thanks for sharing the pics. Pure BSA porn!

[kash2001]

Just a lovely barrel shroud, a sight to behold 👍 I assume their no longer made as I'd buy one for my bsa Mercury for sure, unless it broke the bank or wife found out 🙄

Thanks for posting as I've never seen this type of sleeve on a mercury before.

Atb

[evert]

If you want to replicate the pictured gun, you want someone with a lathe to make a few bushings as you would need a larger diameter tube for the shroud.
The BSA XL Lightning/tactical shrouds have a similar although shorter setup.

[Gamocfx]

I think I will try a 20mm tube with a 2mm wall giving a 16mm inner tube size.... the 15.5mm barrel should join using glue with no problems I hope?

[TonyL]

For me, the stand out plus point on that rifle is the sturdy barrel hinge bolt.

[evert]

I think I will try a 20mm tube with a 2mm wall giving a 16mm inner tube size.... the 15.5mm barrel should join using glue with no problems I hope?

If you only want weight, that would probably be okay. If you want the shroud to extend past the barrel and have sound reduction effect, you want to center it better.