Will BSA Ever Make a Springer That Challenges HW Again?

[Hsing-ee]

I have shot a couple of Omegas. One belonged to a friend who I took along to Jim's WBPS shop in Bewdley in the mid-80s. The Omega was on the rack winking at us. A very nice rifle. I think it was mildly tuned. I also seem to remember it having a Kassnar scope on it. I think it was a Beta 4x32, if memory serves correctly?

The rifle and scope combo was lovely. Shot very nicely and very accurate. Trigger not up to Rekord standards, as expected, but very usable. And I loved the manual breech lock. I love these manual breech locks anyway. Solid, reassuring and such a refined way of locking the breech. Dare I say it, those detents on Longbows and ProElites don't endear me to those rifles!

I'd happily give an Omega a home (as I would a Longbow, despite the previous comment).

I wouldn't be so keen to home the underlever Eclipse that followed the Omega, though. That breech arrangement, although safe, is so, so long.....

Interesting. I briefly had an Eclipse with the 'interesting' trap-loading system (is that what it is called? makes it sound like a Snider rifle..) it had a broken stock and I'm not sure I ever shot it. What was really remarkable about it was the light weight, the cylinder being aluminium alloy. So it looked like a big underlever but it felt like a medium break-barrel. The Omega was all steel I think. Anyway, there was a whole load of stuff on the net about differential expansion of the alloy in hot weather causing problems with tolerances and that knackered it as a possible 77 competitor on the FT circuit.. but you can't say Webley weren't trying to be innovative in their last hours....

[TonyL]

Absolutely, Al. And, yes, I'd semi-forgotten about the alloy receiver! Thank you for reminding me. I'll continue to swerve that model!

[look no hands]

Did you get it to work? By 'fall apart' do you mean the piston washer spring and guides were all banjaxed, and the whole lot held together by thick grease (tune in a tub)?

Venom tuned might just mean someone tuning it with spite, if there's no paperwork then it could be anything in there .. as you discovered.

If I remember rightly, the spring had broke, the trigger sear also snapped and grease was everywhere, thus goosing the piston seal, it went off like a musket, when I first shot it, a massive bang and white smoke.

No, I couldn't get hold of a new sear, so sold it on at a massive loss.

[TonyL]

The more you think about it, the more the venerable HW35 impresses.....

Launched over SEVENTY years ago. Solid, robust, dependable, very, very accurate, brilliant trigger, that super-refined barrel latch and available widely at sensible money, new or pre-loved. What a fantastic rifle.

Possibly THE BEST, EVER?

[Hsing-ee]

The more you think about it, the more the venerable HW35 impresses.....

Launched over SEVENTY years ago. Solid, robust, dependable, very, very accurate, brilliant trigger, that super-refined barrel latch and available widely at sensible money, new or pre-loved. What a fantastic rifle.

Possibly THE BEST, EVER?

Just taking mine out for a test before it goes on to its new owner... can't easily get it in my car boot and am brutally reducing the collection.

[TonyL]

And with added camel toe!

[TonyL]

Just taking mine out for a test before it goes on to its new owner... can't easily get it in my car boot and am brutally reducing the collection.

No!

[look no hands]

Just taking mine out for a test before it goes on to its new owner... can't easily get it in my car boot and am brutally reducing the collection.

I'm thinking of selling on some of my collection, just don't shoot anymore.

[Shed tuner]

The more you think about it, the more the venerable HW35 impresses.....

Launched over SEVENTY years ago. Solid, robust, dependable, very, very accurate, brilliant trigger, that super-refined barrel latch and available widely at sensible money, new or pre-loved. What a fantastic rifle.

Possibly THE BEST, EVER?

Whether you like it or not, no-one can argue it's not an incredibly sucessful classic rifle. For my money, when they increased the stroke and went synthetic, and fixed the porous breech issue some were afflicted it, thus enabling to make 12 FP easily without dieseling, it moved it right up near the top of the "optimal 12 FP break barrels" list.

99
35
Longbow

[Hsing-ee]

Whether you like it or not, no-one can argue it's not an incredibly sucessful classic rifle. For my money, when they increased the stroke and went synthetic, and fixed the porous breech issue some were afflicted it, thus enabling to make 12 FP easily without dieseling, it moved it right up near the top of the "optimal 12 FP break barrels" list.

99
35
Longbow

Yes, it is effectively a short-stroked HW80 with more character.

Yet it is denigrated for its 'looks' - like the HW99S, the HW57 and the HW97 are anything to write home about - and that it is an 'old' design.

As if spring airguns are continuously evolving, they've actually changed less than bicycles have over the last 125 years.

Because the springer is essentially a bike pump with a barrel lashed onto the front end, the HW95 is just as 'out of date' as the HW35. You can alter the bore and stroke of your bike pump and the material of the washer, and perhaps how you get your projectile into the barrel, but they are all basically the same idea. The design philosophy & parameters of the 35 were good ones, or maybe they just hit on it right the first time.

In terms of quality there was very little to touch it for decades. The FWB Sport was excellent but flawed, the BSFs were powerful but not easy to shoot... the HW35 was the King of the Springers for a good long time and could still be in the UK.

It can be fitted with a diopter and a weaker spring for 10m and bell-target, and used for HFT or hunting as you like. A universal air-rifle for people who know what's what.

I'm sticking to my 77 though.

[junglie]

A new supersport for me.

Funnily I had an old rough .22 supersport that was easier to shoot accurately than my FWB 124 at the time, it even had amore predicatable trigger too. Very similar guns to shoot too & both easy cocking for full power break barrels.

[junglie]

Stupid maxigrip rails and 14mm dovetails doubled down on the stupidity. Nailed down the lid on the coffin

Most guys were daunted by removing a maxi grip and it's been a very, very long time since the gasket became unobtainium.

The Mercury S was on the right track and they dropped the ball when the maxi grip went on the Challenger which incidentally has one of the best BSA springer stocks.. The problem with the old sleek back block was it put the dovetails too far forward and made the gun difficult to overhaul when you have much of a spring in it.

I love my .22 challenger & it comes a close second to my HW50s for accuracy & ease of shooting well too. I have no problems with the maxigrip rails either & find them much better than the previous shallow cut dovetails. Not so keen on the screw in curved back blocks to work on the guns though, In fact I dread re-springing airsporters & mercurys.

[look no hands]

I love my .22 challenger & it comes a close second to my HW50s for accuracy & ease of shooting well too. I have no problems with the maxigrip rails either & find them much better than the previous shallow cut dovetails. Not so keen on the screw in curved back blocks to work on the guns though, In fact I dread re-springing airsporters & mercurys.

The RB2 had the right idea, the back block was held in with two Allen headed bolts, so you could use a spring compressor if needed.

[Phil Russell]

Having recently fettled a 'new to me' Supersport and with memories of doing much the same to a Superstar a couple of years ago, I was most impressed by both. Both were .177. The Supersport was easy to get 'the power' but maybe shot better below 11. In comparison to HW offerings I thought the Supersport to be a little light and the Superstar likewise. Maybe this is not a bad thing but HW offerings, especially the HW77/97, 95/98 seem to have more heft about them which could attract potential buyers over the BSA rifles. First impressions count.
Cheers, Phil

[look no hands]

Having recently fettled a 'new to me' Supersport and with memories of doing much the same to a Superstar a couple of years ago, I was most impressed by both. Both were .177. The Supersport was easy to get 'the power' but maybe shot better below 11. In comparison to HW offerings I thought the Supersport to be a little light and the Superstar likewise. Maybe this is not a bad thing but HW offerings, especially the HW77/97, 95/98 seem to have more heft about them which could attract potential buyers over the BSA rifles. First impressions count.
Cheers, Phil

Everyone seems to be ranting on about lightness nowadays, the HW99 and 30 being the most mentioned, the Supersport seems to be having a bit of a revival of late, which is nice and makes a change.

I think the Supersport/Star are perfect weights for lugging about a field all day.