Will BSA Ever Make a Springer That Challenges HW Again?

[Hsing-ee]

The 99, good point.

Why couldnt BSA have made the new meteor a gun to rival the 99?

Thats pretty much what I was hoping for with the Meteor, maybe a missed opportunity.

They rivalled the price thats for sure. It's a nice looking rifle though, I wonder how much work it would need to bring it up to snuff? The 99 needs work as well.

[look no hands]

They rivalled the price thats for sure. It's a nice looking rifle though, I wonder how much work it would need to bring it up to snuff? The 99 needs work as well.

I shot a new one at Knibbs and it was a filling remover, with a typical vague trigger, it probably wouldn't take much to improve it but the 99 would just beat it with the trigger, a missed opportunity indeed.

But saying that, the FWB127 I also shot was no better.

[Shed tuner]

The 99, good point.

Why couldnt BSA have made the new meteor a gun to rival the 99?

Heavier guns are pretty well sown up by Weihrauch & AA, but quality lightweight springers are few and far between. Thats pretty much what I was hoping for with the Meteor, maybe a missed opportunity.

I have the older gamo meteor... Full power, breech bolt, cheap. That to me was a natural evolution of the meteor, fixing the two biggest problems. But I guess from a gamo perspective it lives on.... It really quite Good for pennies...

[Hsing-ee]

I shot a new at Knibbs and it was a filling removers, with a typical vague trigger, it probably wouldn't take much to improve it but the 99 would just beat it with the trigger, a missed opportunity indeed.

Yes. A Spanish rifle with a BSA barrel at the same price just isn’t worth it. I expect a Hatsan would be better value if after that level of engineering. Oh well.

[tinbum]

Cometa!

Joking aside, expensive springers already exist, there is little incentive for anyone to compete.

[look no hands]

Cometa!

Joking aside, expensive springers already exist, there is little incentive for anyone to compete.

A bit rough around the edges and if the 400 had a better metal trigger, then may be worth the money, I really wanted to likethe one I had but it just wasn't pushing my buttons.

[TonyL]

This might seem strange, but of all the BSAs that I have ever owned or shot, the ones that impress me the most (mainly for the solidity of build and engineering) are my old Lincoln Jeffries underlever and the BSA Cadet. I accept the triggers may not be the best as they were conceived and built in a different era, but I love them for that solidity, simplicity and classic lines. To me it seems that they started to "cheapen them up" after the Cadet?

[look no hands]

This might seem strange, but of all the BSAs that I have ever owned or shot, the ones that impress me the most (mainly for the solidity of build and engineering) are my old Lincoln Jeffries underlever and the BSA Cadet. I accept the triggers may not be the best as they were conceived and built in a different era, but I love them for that solidity, simplicity and classic lines. To me it seems that they started to "cheapen them up" after the Cadet?

I needed a small block plane for a job at home the other week, I could have got a new one for £15 but the quality was awful, so I ended up getting an old Stanley one instead, really well built and solid, they just don't make things like they used to.

[gsxrman]

I really cant see it happening now as it never did!! Well since 77/80 era anyway.
AA make the best springers anyway, and unfortunately the market just isn't there for this product now.

[Brad3]

Why would you want to go backwards and fit a tap, even if it has been expertly lapped, that's the main reason HW panned the arse off of every British rifle when they bought out the 77, nearly every British fixed barrel rifle had a tap at the time, it's only been Air Arms who have given them a good kicking by producing a better sliding breech, if BSA or even Webley had done a sliding breach rifle back then, then they may of had a chance of keeping up and also keeping their name intact, instead of being a laughing stock within the shooting community.

It's a good point, but I did say properly done lapped taps.
If done with precision it had mileage. The testimony of many Lincoln Jeffries shooters (incl myself) have witnessed superb accuracy but lacked the nice wood stock and scope grooves to realise much more than they did.
Agreeing the 70s Airsporters were all done by about 83 unable to compete. Hopeless.
I just feel if you could get this aspect right, you get a hell of a lot better looking gun for having the lever tucked away and the way HW are producing these truly yuk stock designs, it might stand a chance of some sales with the traditional styling and chequering if in some nice dark walnut.
Not really suggesting it would better the HW stuff, just provide something different..

[Hellequin]

This might seem strange, but of all the BSAs that I have ever owned or shot, the ones that impress me the most (mainly for the solidity of build and engineering) are my old Lincoln Jeffries underlever and the BSA Cadet. I accept the triggers may not be the best as they were conceived and built in a different era, but I love them for that solidity, simplicity and classic lines. To me it seems that they started to "cheapen them up" after the Cadet?

Definitely agree with you on the solidity of the Cadet, Tony. Didn't someone bring one to the May bash? It sounded a little twangy (boing!) and you're right about the trigger, but nothing a little fettle couldn't sort out.

It was a really lovely little thing though, and felt so well put together. In fact I might have to look out for one, or maybe a Cadet Major.

[Brad3]

Definitely agree with you on the solidity of the Cadet, Tony. Didn't someone bring one to the May bash? It sounded a little twangy (boing!) and you're right about the trigger, but nothing a little fettle couldn't sort out.

It was a really lovely little thing though, and felt so well put together. In fact I might have to look out for one, or maybe a Cadet Major.

Great little guns once used on fair ground stands for donkeys years. Much better put together than a BSA Meteor which followed it.
Ultra slim .410 style stock is very appealing.
I once took a Rook down with one as a youth that was very high up in tree canopy.
Never made in .22 for some reason.

[Anothermiss]

Ooooooooohhhhh christ. Don't revive the calibre argument
The only springer I would consider buying now is a pro sport and I'd never shoot it. I'd only buy it because of how pretty they are.

[look no hands]

Ooooooooohhhhh christ. Don't revive the calibre argument
The only springer I would consider buying now is a pro sport and I'd never shoot it. I'd only buy it because of how pretty they are.

Then you'll be missing out on a fantastic shooting rifle.

[Hsing-ee]

Then you'll be missing out on a fantastic shooting rifle.

The one I have is spectacularly accurate. The one I sold back to you could put 25 pellets into a circle smaller than a ten pence piece at 50 yards in still air off a bench, using only a rudimentary scope and me yanking the trigger. It's a target rifle you can go hunting with.