Reply With QuoteThe one I bought two years ago still seems OK to me. The 1st thought I have is that users use too much lateral force when cocking but that's just speculation.
part time super hero and seeker of justice
I was just reading in the general airgun bit about converting Bsa Meteor barrel pivots to a bolt. I know Bowkett used to do a conversion for the Meteors. I'm wondering how many he did?
Anyhow, the main bit of this is----has anyone ever had a problem with the breech jaws of a Cadet or Major going slack? Whatever the answer, what do you think the reason is?
Cooler than Mace Windu with a FRO, walking into Members Only and saying "Bitches, be cool"
Go ahead,,, String that bow
The one I bought two years ago still seems OK to me. The 1st thought I have is that users use too much lateral force when cocking but that's just speculation.
The more I think I know, the more I realise the less I know.
Registered User
I have a Cadet and a couple of Cadet Majors but they get very little use. However, the Cadet Major I owned as a youngster never showed excessive wear around the breech jaws and locked up perfectly despite thousands of pellets being fired during summer holidays and weekends and when I sold it after a couple of years to buy a Webley mk3 it was in perfect working condition having shot tens of thousands of pellets I guess.
I always kept the hinge bolt and catch well oiled which must have helped and minimised the inevitable wear and tear on that joint.
Optimisic Pessimist Fella
I have two Cadets, one of which was a very battered specimen. Both had no issues with breech jaw wear despite having fired countless rounds.
But they are well made of good steel. Contrast this to the Meteor, Im not sure about the early ones but the later ones had their breech jaws made from a pressed steel insert into the tube, crap steel at that, effectively the jaws are actually hollow. No surprise that as they got older the jaws got wider. My first Meteor had its jaws squashed in a vice once a week!
Registered User
I’ve got quite a few BSA’s in my collection and have worked on a number of cadets & cadet majors over the years. I have only experienced “wobble” at the breech once with a cadet major but quite a few times with later models eg later Mk Meteors
Registered User
my cadets are ok,one has a little play but not a problem.they seem very robustly made hence the high survival rate,mostly battered to be fair.i really like cadets even the battered ones.i have a very scruffy one that shoots really well due to comparatively good trigger.
My mother was flexible,but couldn't do Thursdays
I have 10+ Cadets and C.Majors all with varying degrees of wear and tear and none have any noticeable play. I had x1 Mk3 Meteor with little usage and that was sloppy
The Chrono Slayer
The Cadets are fine Guy, The breech is milled from a solid bar I think, The Meteors (At least from mk3 onwards) are almost tinplate at the breech, It's pressed sheet steel that seems to be brazed together, They're bad for opening at the jaws as the stock screws pull them apart when tightened because the screwholes are directly below the jaws!!
This pic shows how they're hollow at the breech if you look through the pin holes!, I tried clamping this one years ago with the barrel in place and it squashed the jaws!!
Have to say, I hate the Meteors for the cheapness and bad quality although i've not witnessed this with my mk1 and mk2
Also, It doesn't happen with the Mercury's as I think those are solid at the jaws!
John
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Go ahead,,, String that bow
Crossing threads with replacing that awful BSA breech pin.
I've just got one of mine back today from being machined where the outer face of the jaw wall has been enlarged to enable a slightly shortened Mercury S bolt to sit against the inner wall.
I tried to upload photos and failed again. As I said just now I do not speak the language.
I shall be testing it this week to see if the inner wall is strong enough to cope, but the bolt has allowed the splayed jaws to be put back to square.
ATB DFL
The more I think I know, the more I realise the less I know.
Optimisic Pessimist Fella
I acquired a 1970's Meteor a few years ago, I must say its a bit of a disapointment. 50 years ago when i got my first Meteor for christmas it was like getting a Purdey! Aah well.
part time super hero and seeker of justice
Ok----Have a think about it
Meteors have hollowish breech jaws and the front stock screw brackets below the jaws --and have a problem with the jaws opening up.
Mercurys have more solid jaws and the stock screw bracket is not on the jaws. However later Mercurys have a bolt barrel pivot ----------so that must be because of a problem.
Weihrauch knew they had a problem so they just fitted the bolt from the start.
Cadets and Majors don't have the problem because they are either better designed or better built!
Cooler than Mace Windu with a FRO, walking into Members Only and saying "Bitches, be cool"
Go ahead,,, String that bow
Plus Meteors appear to form breeding colonies if given the chance.Originally Posted by ggggr
Ok----Have a think about it
Meteors have hollowish breech jaws and the front stock screw brackets below the jaws --and have a problem with the jaws opening up.
Mercurys have more solid jaws and the stock screw bracket is not on the jaws. However later Mercurys have a bolt barrel pivot ----------so that must be because of a problem.
Weihrauch knew they had a problem so they just fitted the bolt from the start.
Cadets and Majors don't have the problem because they are either better designed or better built!
The more I think I know, the more I realise the less I know.
Outstanding Long Member
I think the introduction of the Meteor heralded a change of policy at BSA from ‘ up to a quality ‘ rather than ‘ down to a price ‘.
Or am I the only one that thinks that, Mick?
When guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns .
Go ahead,,, String that bow
I agree, if you compare Mks1 to 6 when Gamo took over but made necessary due to the tooling wearing out , manufacture had been cheapened all the way and was a step down from the Cadet at inception.
However we must remember that the folded metal construction was a success that sold millions all over the world.
Comparing Mks 1 & 2 with later ones the good trigger was replaced with the cheaper later version and made worse still with the Mk5. The Gamo Mk6 trigger even with it's mile long pull is better IMHO.
Remember the Mk1 was blued as well.
Sights started off as iron and changed until the 1st plastic version came in at some point during the Mk3, got worse during the Mk4 before someone saw sense and the later plastic/metal ones were brought in.
Airsporters Mercurys and Scorpion pistols also got this treatment.
All this must have been due to accountants intervening. Such is the bullshit that is 'value engineering' The germans never fell for this unless you know better.
My criticism is in the way the Meteor was treated, not the basic premise that it was a budget gun which was a huge success.
The more I think I know, the more I realise the less I know.
Registered User
Yeah, theres around 15 in the cupboard at the moment, and I even sold a couple over the years!!!Plus Meteors appear to form breeding colonies if given the chance.
Too many airguns!
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