My first air rifle was a .22 Airsporter given to me from my uncle, wish I still had it it ,remember forgetting to shut the underlever ,boy that hurt fir days ,I was only about 14 ,and the squirrel was lucky that day😊
Hi Kevin Thank you for your video. I had a BSA Mercury back in the 1970s manufactured just down the road from me in Birmingham...it was built like a tank! From my experience with gas ram guns ... I find they take a lot of practice to shoot well. I suspect as the supersport was not designed for a gas ram, converting it back to a spring would transform the accuracy. Kind regards
A lot of people who own these pre-Gamo Supersport (and it's Lightning stablemate) rifles found they perform better with a spring and a proper tune-up. The breech pin was a weak point, but is easily replaced and the sideways group may be an indication of a worn pin. That particular stock design had a weak point through the wrist of the grip so a strengthening screw may be worth installing. One point worth noting is the Maxigrip scope rail - it's actually 14mm and rings are hard to find in this size, B-Square do an excellent one piece adjustable for 14mm rails. In .22 you should be easily able to get 16 ft/lbs using export spec parts, and they normally run pretty hot for UK power laws (12 ft/lbs). There was a .25 calibre available but the barrels were very tight for most .25 pellets and were more like a .243 bore.
The bsa springs of that time were overtempered so I find quite a few snapped inside them & lightnings, my bsa 635 magnum mercury .25 had one snapped in 3 pieces too.
Hi Kevin , well here goes I have 7 or 8 of these guns . all second hand , one came with a theoben gas ram and was shooting at about 10 ftps , the thing with gas rams is that they are very heavy on piston seals and need to be replaced when power drops off, many people blame the ram and sometimes this is the case. However I find replacing both the piston seal and the breech seal usually brings them back to just below the UK legal limit. I do however replace the piston seal with one of Terry Robbs he has a web shop. and a HW breech seal.. the other problems common are that the trigger pressure screw in the trigger blade wind themselves in causing the trigger to fail BSA loctighted them into place but if adjusted will need to be re loctighted or checked on a very regular basis.. The other problem is that the breech jaws can spread with use and may need adjusting. Now as for power these guns are really easy to bring up to 17 or 18 FTP's in !77 I use a titan mainspring a terry robb piston seal and the HW breech seal in .25 they will produce 23 /24 FTP's . Now as for the gas ram they can be uprated dropping them into a pressure chamber and using a pump or divers tank , you can pressurize the chamber which in turn will push air or nitrogen past the ram into it's main body. a word of warning here going up to 3000 psi will make the ram non compressable , start small and add small or better yet take it to a gas ram factory internal pressures are fairly low on this type of ram . Finally the BSA super star uses the same piston and stroke having the fixed barrel and rotary breech make it a gun to be reconned with like the supersport available in .177 .22 and .25 . I hope this helps good luck. Oh yes that SS of yours in lovely condition quite a find.
@@junglie I have found that at normal barnyard ranges and woodland squirrel shooting to be fairly reasonable, . There again I have never tried to use one for paper target practice. Other than zeroing a scope. I did once try a red dot on one that was hopeless , more the sight than the gun. certainly not a good combo. The lightness of the gun and its fast handling are some of it's best features. Lock times are rapid get the right spring and lube combo and they will provide fairly reliable results. I find it is best to get rid of the BSA piston seals there are plenty of upgrades to chose from. I dont know what possessed Gamo to take on production and change the design , for the worse , they could have improved it but no they found it necessary to drag it down into their own mire. Actually they did improve just one thing they got rid of that dreadful BSA maxi scope rail . Horrible time consuming things to remove and reinstate and prone to causing the pistons to split. And I have to say it is a pretty attractive stock fitted to the lightnings.
Hi Kevin, good to see you back. I have a Supersport SE GRT, I believe its internally a Gamo, however, the barrel is stamped BSA guns LTD UK. The look and feel of it is superb and the stock is well crafted. The power out of the box was 14.6FPE using 8.44 JSB'S. Since acquiring and shooring it, I came to the conclusion it needs a heavier pellet so I now use the 10.34 jsb's , the other major change in accuracy came when I stretched it from 25 to 40 mtrs, dont ask why but it performed better at that range🤷♂️. It's not my best and favourite gun in the stable, but I'm glad to have it. I just have to keep telling myself not ALL rifles will stack pellets in a bullseye 😎.
Hi Kevin brilliant rifle in ,25 I've also got two BSA supersport customs .177 and .22 absolutely beautiful rifles they also done a .25 calibre in the custom and that's the one that I'm looking for the collection. Buy the way Kevin your channel is the best air gun channel out there buy a long shot.
I had a BSA Airsporter S in .22 circa 1986-87 superb build quality with a lovely concealed underlever & a fantastic walnut chequered stock, it did suffer from scope creep though, i did like the top tap lever pellet loading system.
It looks like it has a Supersport Custom stock, but I've never seen one with the front chequering (which does look like it is factory ?). When these came out in around 1986 I researched the heck out of these. I ended up buying a BSA Mercury Challenger (the last Mercury made before the Supersport superceded it). The Challengers are very rare as they were only made for 18 months. Custom stock, Maxirail, scope rail, adjustable breech jaws (rare on a BSA) & probably the best trigger on a BSA springer. I have recently got a BSA Supersport, but the 1960's BSA Supersport 5 rimfire....a beautiful .22LR :) Keep up the good work Kevin.
Hi Kevin, Good to see you back. I have two wonderful built gas ram BSAs, the Meteor, and Lightning in .22. The Meteor is from Airgun Detective, and it is amazing. The Lightning, on the other hand, I am having the same difficulties as you are with your BSA. It will not group. I tried several types of pellet and weight with no luck. I even did a mild trigger job too. I am eagerly waiting to see if what you do next. Well, take care and thank you for sharing.
Keep up the great work Kev. I believe you may have a loose barrel/breach jaw fit - I have written below how I've resolved this in the past to perfect effect.
Hey, Kev... Someone may have inadvertently spread the breech forks on reassembly when they converted it to Gas Ram ? 🤔 If this gets to be a labor of love for future projects, I can fabricate some production pockholz clam shells for vise jaws to press/"Stretch" the forks from end to end without interfering with the breech block. 🤷🏼♂️ Like the BSA spring compressor shoe this is another BSA specialty tool, and has to be precision machined and scraped for camber out of Ligna Vita. 😉 Naturally I Do actually have some out in the shop... 😂
I have a BSA lightning 177 in England and had to change the gasram from the standard grey one to a higher power one ( black in colour) from eBay. Now shooting 11 plus foot pounds instead of 9 pounds it was.
I doubt the ram will be refillable Kevin, just put a standard bsa mainspring in it with the ptfe piston sleeve you can buy from bsa for them, stops the twang. i had a rough one i picked up fo £60 quid with a boot polished finished stock, which gave my freind a laugh after I shot it fo the first time & got a suspicious brown stain on my cheek. It also had 2 pound coins in the piston as weights & was making over 12 ft/lbs in .22 before I removed them, that thing shot so well i shot a ten shot one ragged hole group on the opens with it at 15m.. None of the lightnings( the carbine it evolved into) i had were anywhere near as accurate so avoid them if I were you.
Wow those are poor figures Kevin, I own a 1983 model in the .22 carbine version, my go to hunting gun for garden rats, recently serviced and coming in at around 11.5 ft/lbs (UK legal). Well built apart from the plastic trigger and foresight, but a good solid gun otherwise, I have the same problem as you getting consistent groups, a target rifle it ain't. However weirdly it is accurate when it counts, certainly out to 35 yds which would be my max for this gun. I suspect the gas ram was fitted when they were all the rage but the spring version is just fine. I took off all the metal sights, fitted a silencer and a 7x fixed focus scope, jury's always been out on the best pellets, I've tried them all. I find cleaning the barrel regularly does help accuracy, for what was a cheap gun in it's time the build quality is good, that's why it's still there.
In the UK spare gasrams are available but they are sealed for 12 ft/lb but if you have a .22 version and put a .177 gas ram in it you would get around 14ft/lb
Hi! Beautiful air rifle. I have a few BSA:s, try the jsb exact or jsb RS. Superstar is the best vintage BSA! One inch groups at 45 yards. Great videos, thanks from Sweden.
The classic BSAs that came out of Birmingham, were of superb quality and workmanship. They had an eye for style as well. Their guns were beautiful. Thanks for watching, my friend.
BSA has been around since 1861. They liquidated and were acquired by GAMO in 1986. In 1998 BSA UK began importing Spanish made GAMO's into the U.K. BSA's airgun production stayed whole , and independent until the early 2000's when GAMO started taking a more active role in British production... 😒
Personally I would lose the gas ram & put something like Welsh Willy guide & spring kit in it. Either that or if you have the tools & skills (think you do 👍), buy a decent spring & make some guides. I wouldn't go much over 12ftlbs though or it could end up a bit harsh to shoot. I've never rated or had success with the Supersport. Had a Parker Hale Striker (rebadged SS) & that was a superbly accurate rifle but I believe they were specially selected actions & tuned trigger.
Thanks very much. A lot of folks have recommended going to a spring. I have no problem with that. I may need to adjust the form as well. Thanks for watching.
No doubt the wind was a spoilsport, but I don't know if you did a pellet test beforehand. In a sale I bought a new BSA GRT Meteor Evo dirt cheap for 135 $ with Gamo influence but with a BSA barrel and with JSB pellets the rifle has never disappointed me so far.
Not in classic beauty, style, and sophistication, it won't. Nothing against a Gamo, my friend, but it's certainly not in the same league as a Birmingham made BSA. Thanks for watching, my friend.
Hi Kevin! Nice to see you again 😁Love the old pre-Gamo BSA's i have my eye on a Superstar. Gamo made a crap copy of the Superstar called the CFX, one of the worse and waste of money air rifles Gamo ever made and they even re-introduced this terrible air rifle without any modifications. Maybe a bad piston seal in your supersport buddy. Thanks for showing 👍
I had a BSA Supertar and brought a Theoben gas ram for it and I’m pretty sure it was a sealed unit with no adjustment? Not sure who else made gas rams for the older BSA’s Made the lock time very fast and quieter than with the spring in it. Wish I’d kept it 🙁 Regarding accuracy, have you checked for play where the barrel pivots on the pin? IIRC, BSA used a non adjustable pivot pin and it could result in a sloppy barrel fit? I wonder if Jim Maccari or someone similar could or do a kit with a bolt and some shims?
How I wanted ( still do ) a BSA Air Rifle! There used to be a dealer here in Canada 0n-line, but they closed their doors just before I could decide on which BSA rifle to buy. These days there doesn't seem to be any BSA dealers available to me. That BSA Supersport 'Magnum' is not performing like a 'magnum' is it Kevin? I do hope you can restore the power/accuracy to this one and then show us what you've done. Thanks for this video.
Hi I’ve had a few supersports and lightnings and had a couple of the aftermarket awt theoben rams in them and both did 10.5ftlb ish so I think yours is about right and it’s also as much power as you want without making the rifle feel harsh in .177. I also prefer them with a spring than with the ram bud and they can be easily switched between either if you fancy playing with it. Also bsa break barrels can have a double chocked barrel from when they heat up the breech end to braze it to the block and I’ve had to polish the breech out to relieve it to get accuracy and yours seems to be showing the issue.
Agreed - these are non adjustable pins and yes,I have a lightning exactly the same -apart from the barrel (shorter with a silencer) It is a 1971 Mk 1, and after tightened the jaws its perfectly accurate. The best way to do this - as told to me by a very well respected gun smith(Simon Atkins - the Airgun Doctor) is to remove the barrel and alternately tap the jaws onto a block of wood. it doesn't take much, so check after a couple of taps each side. Never try to pull both jaws together in a vice. Mine is now perfect. BTW mine has a spring and after a strip, polish and re- lubrication is a super light weight rifle.
@@stevepowell3475As they're non-adjustable pins any torquing of the barrel very well Will produce lateral shift in trajectory. There is "nowhere" else the barrel can go than to deviate from the receiver axis, once it's pulled in either direction. Once one fork effectively becomes longer or shorter than the other, or the pin itself is bent, lateral stringing is rudimentary... 😕
I had a bsa lighting xl se which is one of the new ones, it was a beautiful looking gun but the grouping the same. I also had problems with power and a crack in the stock 3 weeks in. Id never buy BSA again
Unfortunately, BSA isn't exactly what BSA used to be. Like so many other legendary companies, they've had a hard time convincing folks that you get what you pay for. Folks want cheap stuff. China makes cheap stuff...
Hey Kevin, try a selection of pellets, I've heard BSAs can be really pellet fussy. Just letting you know finally..... Bloody finally I've manage to pick up an Original model 50 in 177 yesterday, they just seem to go as soon as they are advertised, can't wait for it to arrive. Early model.
Second That, Mick 😉👍 lots of British rifles just have a distinct taste for certain pellets ? 🤷🏼♂️ Might be a difference in bore or rifling but WTH knows really... 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️
@@marcmyers1465 I don't know if all BSAs have the cold hammer forged barrels, people seem to swear by them.........but none of the main target rifle companies use them and target rifles, well they are the most accurate of rifles.
I'll certainly do some experimenting with several different pellets. It would be awesome to find the key that unlocks this guns potential. Congratulations on that 50. Those early ones are the classics. I'm still looking for one of my own. So happy to hear that you found yours. Thanks as always, my friend.
@@razor1962 I think it's the second gen I've got, still short lever but slightly more square front of stock...... I can't see the sights 👀 too blurred for my eyes, Anshutz rear diopter too high, I need about a 4mm riser on the front but finding one to fit 8mm dovetail seems impossible......... It's a scope for now. Bit of a buzz, I know you hate that, pushing out a very consistent 8.7ft pounds so not sure I'm going to rebuild it as its perfect for back garden target shooting.
@@razor1962 Im informed with the " fact " no breck barrel rifles barrel ever returns to the exact same position each time it shot. With the barrel being as long as it is.. a thousandth of an inch " at the end of the barrel " there is no way it can shoot accurately. Id tried a few of these rifles... At 30 yards / meters you " might " be able to hit a baseball. Compared to my Benjamin Sheridan rifle.... Can hit a golf ball at 30 yards / meters with no problem.
@user-tc3ou6sy5f Your latest comment confirms that you are misinformed. There are literally 100s of field target shooters who would tend to disagree with you. Check out some of my own videos where I make repeatable hits on 1/2" targets at 55 yards. The guns that you're shooting are either inferior or your abilities to shoot a springer properly are not up to par. Sorry, my friend, but you're dead wrong on this one.
Sorry, Pal... I Absolutely Agree with Kevin on this one. 😉👍 I own way too many break barrels, and Quite Frequently shoot Sub MOA groups that clearly defy rational thought, to the point that even I just don't get it ! 🤷🏼♂️ I think this old Chestnut is leftover marketing from back in the day, but I also own many 50 year old rifles that ARE "Still" on that list ! 😏
@@marcmyers1465 I only base it on fact. When you close a breck barrel rifle...it never returns to the same exact place. And..... if you hold the rifle firmly at a horizonal position.... and " just lightly " push up on the end of the barrel.......it moves. That alone speaks for itself. A gun can not shoot accurately if the barrel moves ! Believe as you wish........but Im an avid rifle shooter. Mainly 22lr sub=sonics. NOTHING can move if the rifle is suppose to shoot accurate !
These guns are spoilt by the mediocre trigger and non bolt through breach, which allows,after a lot of use,breach yaw which affects accuracy.They are lightweight guns therefore don't handle higher powers very well,tending to jump about on firing!
Thanks, Alan. Despite its lackluster trigger, I'm hoping to gain better performance from it. Personally, its size and weight are precisely what attract me to this rifle. I hope to get it shooting much better. Thanks for watching, my friend.
@@razor1962 no mate no hater i love my my bsa rifles still using my meteor mk 2 from when i was a kid as well as a few others. Dont know where tha saying came from but ive known it for the last 50 odd years.
My first air rifle was a .22 Airsporter given to me from my uncle, wish I still had it it ,remember forgetting to shut the underlever ,boy that hurt fir days ,I was only about 14 ,and the squirrel was lucky that day😊
OUCH!!! That's gotta' hurt...
Thanks for watching, my friend.
Hi Kevin
Thank you for your video. I had a BSA Mercury back in the 1970s manufactured just down the road from me in Birmingham...it was built like a tank!
From my experience with gas ram guns ... I find they take a lot of practice to shoot well. I suspect as the supersport was not designed for a gas ram, converting it back to a spring would transform the accuracy.
Kind regards
I like the way you think, Tony. I just might do that.
A lot of people who own these pre-Gamo Supersport (and it's Lightning stablemate) rifles found they perform better with a spring and a proper tune-up. The breech pin was a weak point, but is easily replaced and the sideways group may be an indication of a worn pin. That particular stock design had a weak point through the wrist of the grip so a strengthening screw may be worth installing. One point worth noting is the Maxigrip scope rail - it's actually 14mm and rings are hard to find in this size, B-Square do an excellent one piece adjustable for 14mm rails. In .22 you should be easily able to get 16 ft/lbs using export spec parts, and they normally run pretty hot for UK power laws (12 ft/lbs). There was a .25 calibre available but the barrels were very tight for most .25 pellets and were more like a .243 bore.
Awesome info, Bob. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it.
The bsa springs of that time were overtempered so I find quite a few snapped inside them & lightnings, my bsa 635 magnum mercury .25 had one snapped in 3 pieces too.
Hi Kevin , well here goes I have 7 or 8 of these guns . all second hand , one came with a theoben gas ram and was shooting at about 10 ftps , the thing with gas rams is that they are very heavy on piston seals and need to be replaced when power drops off, many people blame the ram and sometimes this is the case. However I find replacing both the piston seal and the breech seal usually brings them back to just below the UK legal limit. I do however replace the piston seal with one of Terry Robbs he has a web shop. and a HW breech seal.. the other problems common are that the trigger pressure screw in the trigger blade wind themselves in causing the trigger to fail BSA loctighted them into place but if adjusted will need to be re loctighted or checked on a very regular basis.. The other problem is that the breech jaws can spread with use and may need adjusting. Now as for power these guns are really easy to bring up to 17 or 18 FTP's in !77 I use a titan mainspring a terry robb piston seal and the HW breech seal in .25 they will produce 23 /24 FTP's . Now as for the gas ram they can be uprated dropping them into a pressure chamber and using a pump or divers tank , you can pressurize the chamber which in turn will push air or nitrogen past the ram into it's main body. a word of warning here going up to 3000 psi will make the ram non compressable , start small and add small or better yet take it to a gas ram factory internal pressures are fairly low on this type of ram . Finally the BSA super star uses the same piston and stroke having the fixed barrel and rotary breech make it a gun to be reconned with like the supersport available in .177 .22 and .25 . I hope this helps good luck. Oh yes that SS of yours in lovely condition quite a find.
Excellent Post, David ! 😉👍
Wow, David. What a wealth of information. This is wonderful. Much appreciated, my friend.
Being such a light gun i wouldn't like to shoot one at high power levels, they are quite hold sensitive at 12 ft/lb anyway.
@@junglie I have found that at normal barnyard ranges and woodland squirrel shooting to be fairly reasonable, . There again I have never tried to use one for paper target practice. Other than zeroing a scope. I did once try a red dot on one that was hopeless , more the sight than the gun. certainly not a good combo. The lightness of the gun and its fast handling are some of it's best features. Lock times are rapid get the right spring and lube combo and they will provide fairly reliable results. I find it is best to get rid of the BSA piston seals there are plenty of upgrades to chose from. I dont know what possessed Gamo to take on production and change the design , for the worse , they could have improved it but no they found it necessary to drag it down into their own mire. Actually they did improve just one thing they got rid of that dreadful BSA maxi scope rail . Horrible time consuming things to remove and reinstate and prone to causing the pistons to split. And I have to say it is a pretty attractive stock fitted to the lightnings.
@davidprocter3578 Stay tuned, my friend, and thanks again.
I bought a replacement kit for the gas ram ,with a spring made quite a difference. Great review.
Thanks, Iwan. I'm thinking of going back to a spring.
Much appreciated as always, my friend.
Hi Kevin, good to see you back. I have a Supersport SE GRT, I believe its internally a Gamo, however, the barrel is stamped BSA guns LTD UK. The look and feel of it is superb and the stock is well crafted.
The power out of the box was 14.6FPE using 8.44 JSB'S. Since acquiring and shooring it, I came to the conclusion it needs a heavier pellet so I now use the 10.34 jsb's , the other major change in accuracy came when I stretched it from 25 to 40 mtrs, dont ask why but it performed better at that range🤷♂️. It's not my best and favourite gun in the stable, but I'm glad to have it. I just have to keep telling myself not ALL rifles will stack pellets in a bullseye 😎.
Sounds like you've got a good one, Peter. Enjoy!
Hi Kevin brilliant rifle in ,25 I've also got two BSA supersport customs .177 and .22 absolutely beautiful rifles they also done a .25 calibre in the custom and that's the one that I'm looking for the collection. Buy the way Kevin your channel is the best air gun channel out there buy a long shot.
Thanks so much, Nicholas. I'm so glad that you're enjoying the channel.
I had a BSA Airsporter S in .22 circa 1986-87 superb build quality with a lovely concealed underlever & a fantastic walnut chequered stock, it did suffer from scope creep though, i did like the top tap lever pellet loading system.
The Airsporters were classics. Lovely rifles.
Thanks for watching.
It seemed to doing ok with the bell Which I do like now we've got to see it.😃
Lol. I try to include a shot of the bell every once in awhile.
It looks like it has a Supersport Custom stock, but I've never seen one with the front chequering (which does look like it is factory ?). When these came out in around 1986 I researched the heck out of these. I ended up buying a BSA Mercury Challenger (the last Mercury made before the Supersport superceded it). The Challengers are very rare as they were only made for 18 months. Custom stock, Maxirail, scope rail, adjustable breech jaws (rare on a BSA) & probably the best trigger on a BSA springer. I have recently got a BSA Supersport, but the 1960's BSA Supersport 5 rimfire....a beautiful .22LR :) Keep up the good work Kevin.
Now I want a Mercury Challenger. Thanks a lot, ... 🤣
I've got a .22 challenger, one of my fave break barrels after the HW50s. Just fits me so well & the trigger is fine for a bsa.
Im sure you will sort the accuracy Kevin. Great video as always.
Thanks, Paul. I like your confidence. I hope to live up to it. 🤣
Hi Kevin, Good to see you back. I have two wonderful built gas ram BSAs, the Meteor, and Lightning in .22. The Meteor is from Airgun Detective, and it is amazing. The Lightning, on the other hand, I am having the same difficulties as you are with your BSA. It will not group. I tried several types of pellet and weight with no luck. I even did a mild trigger job too. I am eagerly waiting to see if what you do next. Well, take care and thank you for sharing.
Thanks as always, my friend. We'll figure this one out. The projects are piling up. I see lots of workbench videos in the future.
Keep up the great work Kev. I believe you may have a loose barrel/breach jaw fit - I have written below how I've resolved this in the past to perfect effect.
Thanks, Steve. I'm definitely going to look into this. I really appreciate your input, my friend.
Hi Kevin Great looking gun I think it's going to be an extensive pellet testing job You'll find one it likes eventually 👍👍🇬🇧
Thanks. David. Fortunately for me, I enjoy shooting this little rifle.
muy bueno el video kevin . la carabina es preciosa. saludos desde Granada (españa).😊
Thank you, my friend.
Hey, Kev... Someone may have inadvertently spread the breech forks on reassembly when they converted it to Gas Ram ? 🤔
If this gets to be a labor of love for future projects, I can fabricate some production pockholz clam shells for vise jaws to press/"Stretch" the forks from end to end without interfering with the breech block. 🤷🏼♂️
Like the BSA spring compressor shoe this is another BSA specialty tool, and has to be precision machined and scraped for camber out of Ligna Vita. 😉 Naturally I Do actually have some out in the shop... 😂
I'd love to take you up on that Marc, but only if you'll allow me to compensate you.
I have a BSA lightning 177 in England and had to change the gasram from the standard grey one to a higher power one ( black in colour) from eBay. Now shooting 11 plus foot pounds instead of 9 pounds it was.
Great tip, Shaun. It's nice to know that eBay is an option.
I doubt the ram will be refillable Kevin, just put a standard bsa mainspring in it with the ptfe piston sleeve you can buy from bsa for them, stops the twang. i had a rough one i picked up fo £60 quid with a boot polished finished stock, which gave my freind a laugh after I shot it fo the first time & got a suspicious brown stain on my cheek. It also had 2 pound coins in the piston as weights & was making over 12 ft/lbs in .22 before I removed them, that thing shot so well i shot a ten shot one ragged hole group on the opens with it at 15m.. None of the lightnings( the carbine it evolved into) i had were anywhere near as accurate so avoid them if I were you.
Thank you, my friend. I shall heed your advice.
I do have a spring from a .22 Supersport Mag....🤔
Always look forward to your videos mate , you seem to like the old british air rifles
After everything the U.K. has contributed to Airgunning the least we Cousins can do is try preserve that Heritage ! 🤷🏼♂️
@marcmyers1465 I have a bsa mercury challenger, a webley stingray and a Barnett Spitfire ( which is a webley tracker)
I love the old British classics. Quality through and through. Thanks so much for watching.
Enjoyed that. keep up the good work.
Thanks very much, and thanks for watching.
Wow those are poor figures Kevin, I own a 1983 model in the .22 carbine version, my go to hunting gun for garden rats, recently serviced and coming in at around 11.5 ft/lbs (UK legal). Well built apart from the plastic trigger and foresight, but a good solid gun otherwise, I have the same problem as you getting consistent groups, a target rifle it ain't. However weirdly it is accurate when it counts, certainly out to 35 yds which would be my max for this gun. I suspect the gas ram was fitted when they were all the rage but the spring version is just fine. I took off all the metal sights, fitted a silencer and a 7x fixed focus scope, jury's always been out on the best pellets, I've tried them all. I find cleaning the barrel regularly does help accuracy, for what was a cheap gun in it's time the build quality is good, that's why it's still there.
Thanks, David. I'm certain that with a little TLC, we can get this one to shine.
In the UK spare gasrams are available but they are sealed for 12 ft/lb but if you have a .22 version and put a .177 gas ram in it you would get around 14ft/lb
Like the HW50S the BSA SuperSport series rifles seem to perform optimally at 12fpe. 😉👍
Good to know. Thanks very much.
I'll aim for that then. Thanks, Marc.
@@razor196214 fpe. wouldn't be a deal breaker... 😉👍
Hi!
Beautiful air rifle.
I have a few BSA:s, try the jsb exact or jsb RS.
Superstar is the best vintage BSA!
One inch groups at 45 yards.
Great videos, thanks from Sweden.
The classic BSAs that came out of Birmingham, were of superb quality and workmanship. They had an eye for style as well. Their guns were beautiful.
Thanks for watching, my friend.
I have seen all your videos…you had some problem with accuracy, Slavia 631.
If you haven’t, try the RWS superdome. They works great in mine.😊
Greetings from Buenos Airees. I love BSA air guns. However, take into account BSA belongs to GAMO Group.
Only as of late. The classic BSAs were made in Birmingham. There is no comparison.
Thanks for watching, my friend.
BSA has been around since 1861. They liquidated and were acquired by GAMO in 1986. In 1998 BSA UK began importing Spanish made GAMO's into the U.K.
BSA's airgun production stayed whole , and independent until the early 2000's when GAMO started taking a more active role in British production... 😒
@@marcmyers1465 Interesting data. I didn´t know that time lasp.
They class it has a gas-ram , but in fact it's pressured by Air .
Yes, this is true. However, air is mostly a mixture of gasses.
Thanks for making these videos pops!
Thanks for watching!
I also found that 7.33 grain pellets at 4.52 worked very well.
I'll give 'em a try. Thanks again.
@@razor1962He may have a point here, on the 4.52 pellets... 🤔
What make were the pellets, Shaun ?
@marcmyers1465 I'm kinda curious now. Do tell, Shaun. What brand are you shooting?
@@marcmyers1465 jsb pellets
Personally I would lose the gas ram & put something like Welsh Willy guide & spring kit in it. Either that or if you have the tools & skills (think you do 👍), buy a decent spring & make some guides. I wouldn't go much over 12ftlbs though or it could end up a bit harsh to shoot.
I've never rated or had success with the Supersport. Had a Parker Hale Striker (rebadged SS) & that was a superbly accurate rifle but I believe they were specially selected actions & tuned trigger.
Thanks very much. A lot of folks have recommended going to a spring. I have no problem with that. I may need to adjust the form as well.
Thanks for watching.
No doubt the wind was a spoilsport, but I don't know if you did a pellet test beforehand. In a sale I bought a new BSA GRT Meteor Evo dirt cheap for 135 $ with Gamo influence but with a BSA barrel and with JSB pellets the rifle has never disappointed me so far.
Thanks very much and thanks for watching, my friend.
A Gamo Magnum will out perform that rifle sir! Cheers!
Not in classic beauty, style, and sophistication, it won't. Nothing against a Gamo, my friend, but it's certainly not in the same league as a Birmingham made BSA.
Thanks for watching, my friend.
Hi Kevin! Nice to see you again 😁Love the old pre-Gamo BSA's i have my eye on a Superstar. Gamo made a crap copy of the Superstar called the CFX, one of the worse and waste of money air rifles Gamo ever made and they even re-introduced this terrible air rifle without any modifications. Maybe a bad piston seal in your supersport buddy. Thanks for showing 👍
The BSA SuperStar is an Excellent Rifle, built like a Bloody Tank ! Rugged, not Too Fluffy, excellent field rifle, and Highly Reliable. 👍😃👍
Thanks, Ron. There's an obvious difference in quality from my limited experience.
I'll look into that seal.
Always a pleasure, my friend.
Hi Kev, another interesting airgun video, thanks mate.
Kev, may I ask the size of the bell and the distance from your bench please. Cheers! Matt.
Hi Matt. The bell is a 14" diameter demolition saw blade that's been used up. It's at 60 yards from the shooting bench.
Thanks for watching,my friend.
@@razor1962 cheers Kev!
I had a BSA Supertar and brought a Theoben gas ram for it and I’m pretty sure it was a sealed unit with no adjustment?
Not sure who else made gas rams for the older BSA’s
Made the lock time very fast and quieter than with the spring in it.
Wish I’d kept it 🙁
Regarding accuracy, have you checked for play where the barrel pivots on the pin?
IIRC, BSA used a non adjustable pivot pin and it could result in a sloppy barrel fit?
I wonder if Jim Maccari or someone similar could or do a kit with a bolt and some shims?
Thanks so much. You're among several to mention checking the forks. I will do that.
Much appreciated, my friend
How I wanted ( still do ) a BSA Air Rifle! There used to be a dealer here in Canada 0n-line, but they closed their doors just before I could decide on which BSA rifle to buy. These days there doesn't seem to be any BSA dealers available to me.
That BSA Supersport 'Magnum' is not performing like a 'magnum' is it Kevin? I do hope you can restore the power/accuracy to this one and then show us what you've done.
Thanks for this video.
Thanks, Reg. At least I've got plenty of benchwork to do. Expect to see lots of airgunsmithing videos in the not too distant future.
@@razor1962 I'm looking forward to these videos then. 👍
Hi I’ve had a few supersports and lightnings and had a couple of the aftermarket awt theoben rams in them and both did 10.5ftlb ish so I think yours is about right and it’s also as much power as you want without making the rifle feel harsh in .177.
I also prefer them with a spring than with the ram bud and they can be easily switched between either if you fancy playing with it.
Also bsa break barrels can have a double chocked barrel from when they heat up the breech end to braze it to the block and I’ve had to polish the breech out to relieve it to get accuracy and yours seems to be showing the issue.
Very interesting. I'll look into this. Thank you, my friend.
@@razor1962 no problem at all bud.
Glad to see you posting, Frosti ! 😁👍
If the groups are all going horizontally, could it be loose breech jaws ?, as I don't think they are adjustable on the Supersport ?
Agreed - these are non adjustable pins and yes,I have a lightning exactly the same -apart from the barrel (shorter with a silencer) It is a 1971 Mk 1, and after tightened the jaws its perfectly accurate. The best way to do this - as told to me by a very well respected gun smith(Simon Atkins - the Airgun Doctor) is to remove the barrel and alternately tap the jaws onto a block of wood. it doesn't take much, so check after a couple of taps each side. Never try to pull both jaws together in a vice.
Mine is now perfect. BTW mine has a spring and after a strip, polish and re- lubrication is a super light weight rifle.
@@stevepowell3475As they're non-adjustable pins any torquing of the barrel very well Will produce lateral shift in trajectory. There is "nowhere" else the barrel can go than to deviate from the receiver axis, once it's pulled in either direction. Once one fork effectively becomes longer or shorter than the other, or the pin itself is bent, lateral stringing is rudimentary... 😕
Thanks for this, Steve. I didn't notice any play side to side, but I'll make a point to check.
Always appreciated, my friend.
Welp,....looks like I've got some experimentation to do...
Thanks, Marc.
breech seal and barrel lockup
Checking. Thanks very much.
Around 10 fpe, a little low. I think for export these would shoot around 13-15 fpe with a spring ?
Good to know. Thanks very much.
I had a bsa lighting xl se which is one of the new ones, it was a beautiful looking gun but the grouping the same. I also had problems with power and a crack in the stock 3 weeks in.
Id never buy BSA again
Unfortunately, BSA isn't exactly what BSA used to be. Like so many other legendary companies, they've had a hard time convincing folks that you get what you pay for. Folks want cheap stuff. China makes cheap stuff...
Hey Kevin, try a selection of pellets, I've heard BSAs can be really pellet fussy.
Just letting you know finally..... Bloody finally I've manage to pick up an Original model 50 in 177 yesterday, they just seem to go as soon as they are advertised, can't wait for it to arrive. Early model.
Second That, Mick 😉👍 lots of British rifles just have a distinct taste for certain pellets ? 🤷🏼♂️ Might be a difference in bore or rifling but WTH knows really... 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️
@@marcmyers1465 I don't know if all BSAs have the cold hammer forged barrels, people seem to swear by them.........but none of the main target rifle companies use them and target rifles, well they are the most accurate of rifles.
I'll certainly do some experimenting with several different pellets. It would be awesome to find the key that unlocks this guns potential.
Congratulations on that 50. Those early ones are the classics. I'm still looking for one of my own.
So happy to hear that you found yours. Thanks as always, my friend.
Can't hurt to try. That's for sure.
@@razor1962 I think it's the second gen I've got, still short lever but slightly more square front of stock...... I can't see the sights 👀 too blurred for my eyes, Anshutz rear diopter too high, I need about a 4mm riser on the front but finding one to fit 8mm dovetail seems impossible......... It's a scope for now.
Bit of a buzz, I know you hate that, pushing out a very consistent 8.7ft pounds so not sure I'm going to rebuild it as its perfect for back garden target shooting.
HOLA KEVIN,ES BONITA ESA CARABINA, PERO NO TIENE BUENA CONSTANCIA . SALUDOS. 🤝👍🏼
I plan on seeing what I can do about that, my friend.
Thanks as always for your viewership.
No break barrel can be accurate.... the barrel never returns to the exact same spot when loading it. Impossible !
You are grossly misinformed, my friend...
@@razor1962 Im informed with the " fact " no breck barrel rifles barrel ever returns to the exact same position each time it shot. With the barrel being as long as it is.. a thousandth of an inch " at the end of the barrel " there is no way it can shoot accurately. Id tried a few of these rifles... At 30 yards / meters you " might " be able to hit a baseball. Compared to my Benjamin Sheridan rifle.... Can hit a golf ball at 30 yards / meters with no problem.
@user-tc3ou6sy5f Your latest comment confirms that you are misinformed. There are literally 100s of field target shooters who would tend to disagree with you. Check out some of my own videos where I make repeatable hits on 1/2" targets at 55 yards. The guns that you're shooting are either inferior or your abilities to shoot a springer properly are not up to par. Sorry, my friend, but you're dead wrong on this one.
Sorry, Pal... I Absolutely Agree with Kevin on this one. 😉👍
I own way too many break barrels, and Quite Frequently shoot Sub MOA groups that clearly defy rational thought, to the point that even I just don't get it ! 🤷🏼♂️
I think this old Chestnut is leftover marketing from back in the day, but I also own many 50 year old rifles that ARE "Still" on that list ! 😏
@@marcmyers1465 I only base it on fact. When you close a breck barrel rifle...it never returns to the same exact place. And..... if you hold the rifle firmly at a horizonal position.... and " just lightly " push up on the end of the barrel.......it moves. That alone speaks for itself. A gun can not shoot accurately if the barrel moves !
Believe as you wish........but Im an avid rifle shooter. Mainly 22lr sub=sonics. NOTHING can move if the rifle is suppose to shoot accurate !
These guns are spoilt by the mediocre trigger and non bolt through breach, which allows,after a lot of use,breach yaw which affects accuracy.They are lightweight guns therefore don't handle higher powers very well,tending to jump about on firing!
Thanks, Alan. Despite its lackluster trigger, I'm hoping to gain better performance from it. Personally, its size and weight are precisely what attract me to this rifle. I hope to get it shooting much better.
Thanks for watching, my friend.
B.s.a .... bits shoved anywhere.
Wow... A hater in the bunch. 🤣
The old Birmingham BSAs were built solid and exuded quality. Today, not so much, I'm afraid.
@@razor1962 no mate no hater i love my my bsa rifles still using my meteor mk 2 from when i was a kid as well as a few others. Dont know where tha saying came from but ive known it for the last 50 odd years.
@davidmayoh657 LOL....
Sounds like the acronym for FORD here in the states...
Found
On
Road
Dead
Thanks for watching, my friend.
I have that gun in .22 they are 12ftlb guns...
Thanks, Skip. Gonna try to get her there.
UK sub 12 ft'lb spec
Could very well be, my friend.