Reply With QuoteBSA Improved Model D
The bayonet lever should have strengthening fences either side of it
Registered User
Got rusty rifle in and cleaned it up with coarse wire wool and oil. Came up quite well and the internals turned out to be in good condition, original piston seal and double flat springs. It looks like it has had little use, the bayonet lever is tight and catch very firm. Doing 8 ft lb after lube and assembly. Not sure what model this is "D" ? In .177 with pistol grip and shorter back sight. What would value be please ?
Baz
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER, DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD
Registered User
BSA Improved Model D
The bayonet lever should have strengthening fences either side of it
Registered User
that looks nice,does it still retain some bluing?i think the early rifles had no strengthening fences but i stand to be corrected.
Registered User
If you Google "date my BSA air rifle " itll link you to a couple of pages that will give year and model from the serial number as to value? I paid £70 for a 1907 improved model D in brown (no blue left) missing only its rear sight, all other screws and fittings still in place, mine needed a new washer and soring set. I've seen perfect/almost as new for £350 and (over )restored at £500 from a dealer.. there are a handful on guntrader or gunstar at the moment that look nice around the £250 mark. What they will sell for? Who knows!!
Registered User
Yes, still original blue, not as shiny as another one I have with straight stock 1905 model. That cost me £200 and the rusty one £80. It looks a bit duller in the pic due to condensation, just brought it in from garage to my warm kitchen. Has the correct back sight unlike my long tang straight stock above. I see the tap design changed quite early on.Originally Posted by isobar
Baz
[IMG][/IMG]
Last edited by Benelli B76; 04-02-2023 at 11:25 AM.
BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER, DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD
Registered User
looks like it's all there then and at £80 a bargain.probably been well looked after for over a hundred years then put in the shed for a year creating the surface rust then you saved it
Registered User
Think you are right, my early 1905 one does not have any. Strange they are called "fences", in engineering terms I would have thought they would be gussets. I used a lot of triangular gusset plates in racking and shelving to hold angles at 90 degrees.
Baz
BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER, DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD
Registered User
Be wary of the "Date my BSA pages" most copy John Knibbs / Airgunspares page, that will give you rough dates on them but not for the early stuff. To date it correctly you need to get in touch with Airgunspares who have the orignal work books. These give the date of the gun to the day it left the factory, there is a charge of £25 todo this, this is due to the books having to be searched through manually as they are hand written but you do get a nice report at the end of it.
Before anyone else says i have such and such number that is three digits in front of yours and it left factory on so and so date, the numbers never always went out in order, sometimes it can jump months or even a year or so.
Registered User
According to a reference in J Knibbs book the improved model D came in mid 1908 as a result of the improvements which had been introduced. Production of the model continuing until 1918 which implies they were still making them during the war. ( Maybe they were just assembled from stock parts, I don't know). There were .177, .22, & .25 versions available. There were Light, Ordinary (or Standard) Sporting, as well as Juvenille & Junior patterns although not all were available in all calibre.
BSA used up component parts in the manufacture of their models but at change over between them it was not unheard of some rifles to be built with 'old' parts as well as having new ones too. It's also been said that BSA might come across stocks of old parts that hadn't been used up in sequence & fit them into their current production. Although I can see this as a possibility with some items I can't really see them fitting an early patern cocking lever without strengthening fences to a new model that was supposed yo have them, but who knows.
Rifles once assembled & in some instances stored & apparently not always shipped in numerical order; so dating by block numbers might not be that accurate, then theres the whole thing about parts being swapped between rifles over the years which can cloud the issue too.
Anyhow its not impossible to date them but it's not always as straightforward as it might appear.
I reckon your £80 was well spent, it looks to have come up well.
Registered User
Hi Baz,
Your Rifle is a BSA Air Rifle (Improved Model D ) in the ordinary Pattern (43.25") .177 model. The side fences to help align the cocking lever are correct for the period, having been introduced into production around serial No.17,000. I have a near identical rifle. Mine is serial number 25745, and was retailed by J E Beale, of Bournemouth, as it has a clear retailers stamp mark on the stock. Mine has the keyhole shaped breech fixing plate marked P-Pat, which was BSA using up old stock of the plates.
Nice bit of history you have there.
Lakey
Registered User
Good evening guys.
I am new to the forum and thought that I would share these pics of my recently acquired 1908 Model D. It needs a strip and reseal, I have not stripped an air rifle before and did find a good site (Vintage Air Gun Gallery?) which provided a lot of great detail. There is not much detail left on it, the chequering is barely visible, you can make out Trade Mark" and a partial piled rifles logo. Similarly the only stamping/number that I can see is 24305. So close to your numbers. I do need to find front and rear sights for it. I have been advised that BSA Major sights can be made to fit. I don't know how true this is.
[IMG]20230207_222351
20230207_222429
Registered User
The rear sights are available hereGood evening guys.
I am new to the forum and thought that I would share these pics of my recently acquired 1908 Model D. It needs a strip and reseal, I have not stripped an air rifle before and did find a good site (Vintage Air Gun Gallery?) which provided a lot of great detail. There is not much detail left on it, the chequering is barely visible, you can make out Trade Mark" and a partial piled rifles logo. Similarly the only stamping/number that I can see is 24305. So close to your numbers. I do need to find front and rear sights for it. I have been advised that BSA Major sights can be made to fit. I don't know how true this is.
[IMG]
https://www.airgunspares.com/lj05ljr...ndpattern.html
Waiting for front sights to be remade
Registered User
Thanks for the link Gunshop it is appreciated. I am guessing that it is your website! I guess that I shouldn't have been surprised at the price. Please forgive me as I am new to the world of old air rifles. Looking on I can see that these things command good prices. The thing that makes me a bit hesitant is I didn't pay that much more for the rifle! Is it the only one in stock? How long before the front sights are available? I will ponder and search a bit more before committing myself. Thanks once again.
Cheers Jack
Registered User
Hi Jack,
Its the company I work for. The sights are manufactured to original specifications by us and we try to keep them in stock. The front sights are currently being remade.
Registered User
I did manage to pick up a rear sight today but will still need a front one. I might try and manufacture something myself as an interim measure until you have some in stock. You do have a BSA Stutzen barrel clamp that i will be ordering shortly.
Cheers Jack
Posting Permissions