Got a visit to look at some rifles tomorrow.One has been described on the phone as a BSA pump / slide action , old with a box magazine.i thought they only came out in tube mag.Anyone know anything about a box mag pump action BSA 22?
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Got a visit to look at some rifles tomorrow.One has been described on the phone as a BSA pump / slide action , old with a box magazine.i thought they only came out in tube mag.Anyone know anything about a box mag pump action BSA 22?
These box magazine pump action .22 rifles are covered in John Knibbs book, "The Golden Century". My copy not to hand but he states only a couple hundred were made before going onto a tube magazine. A rifle did show up a few years ago with a serial number in the 600/800 range, which is a bit higher than mentioned in the book. Still a relatively scarce rifle with the box magazine.
Can you post the serial number?
Regards
AlanD
Sydney
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Hi Alan it's serial number 825 and I have added some pics to my photo gallery and the main photo gallery.Can you remember what the run of tube mag BSAs were? just to get a perspective on how uncommon these are.... cheers Tim from Nelson
My copy of "The Golden Century" is not available, so perhaps someone can comment who has a copy of the book. From memory the production of the tube mag version was in the low thousands.
With the box magazine and straight hand stock the rifle is quite streamlined. From the photos it looks like the rifle does not have any British commercial proof marks, which would be odd. Is this the case?
Regards
AlanD
Sydney
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Originally Posted by AlanD
These may help to identify and put a date? on this rifle ... any info appreciated.
The proof mark of crossed sceptres with a letter at the top and dot/s underneath is a Birmingham proof mark.Attachment 35020 If I am reading the chart correctly the letter "D" indicates proof in 1924. The dot/s indicate the particular proof inspector.
The markings of various numbers and a "V" mark would appear to be internal BSA inspection marks. For comparison here is a picture posted by 4thGordons on the Gunboards Lee Enfield forum of a commercial BSA LLE Mk1* .303 rifle.
Regards
AlanD
Sydney
I just ran across this thread, I have two of the box magazine BSA's - both under 1000 serial number; Unforunatly I do not have a magazine for either of mine and in several years of looking and asking I have not been able to locate one. If anyone runs across a source for an original magazine for one of these I would really appreciate a chance to get one. I currently have an aftermarket Winchester Model 77 magazine that I am contemplating trying to modify.
I also have two to of the tube fed with one having a serial number over 6000. There was a tube fed sold through Christies Auction House that had a serial number of 7656.
There is some good infomation about the BSA's here - BSA pump info
Note that one picture shows the serial number and it appears to be 1077 so it's my opinion that over 1000 were made. I also found copies of the British patent papers on these through a British Library web site but the saved link no longer works and I now cannot find the resource - they had British patents back to 1920.
I am going to compare proof makes but I assume that all of the box magazine versions were made in the same year. I assume that the tube fed could also be dated by the proof marks?
Gene