Leather Washer Between spring and back block/spring guide on Bsa Imp Model D

[edbear2]

Have you encountered the ring of hemp twine at the end of the cutaway in the threaded part of the the block. To take up play in the cylinder, at the end of the block. Sometimes you will encounter examples with a factory screw through the cylinder. I suspect the twine might have been a factory fix when the tolerances went the wrong way. They can't really wear there....they must have been loose when they left the factory.

They can over rotate a tad, have seen this on well used guns, ie. when you screw the trigger block into the cylinder, the two holes for the trigger guard screws will be slightly out, and you have to back out the cylinder just a degree or two. Obviously it is no longer butted up against the block so can feel a tiny bit loose, even with the trigger guard screws done up.

I can see how the twine would help. bit like plumber's packing, have never seen it myself, but would have thought BSA inspection would not have allowed something like this, and perhaps was a dealer tweak. Like so much else I suppose we will never know.

Regarding the leather washer, I can see how someone perhaps might also think it would make a gun smoother by allowing the mainspring to rotate in the days before Delrin....For all we know may have been a "craze" amoungst a group of people.

Airgunners have tinkered since there have been airguns, witness the additional sight mods to Milpats in The Complete Airgunner book from 1907! and I have seen all sorts including drilled pistons etc. to reduce weight obviously done yonks ago.

ATB, ED