Notes from the gun shop...

Business is picking up with the muzzleloading season and approaching "regular" gun season. Lots of ammo sales today.  In fact it seemed that there was at least one customer in the shop all day and we had customers driving up right up to closing time. 

Interesting guns? Well, there was a drought of sorts. We started the day with a 5" Smith and Wesson 27-2. Then we had to wait a while but we found a Browning Mountain Rifle which is of minor interest as it is only the second one I've ever seen. Then we discovered an impressive bit of ordnance in the back room.


The Armalite AR-50, a bolt-action .50 BMG chambered rifle was resting on its bipod in the "back room". Ostensibly slated for the Staunton Police Department, the rifle made me first wonder "why?" and then "why not?" The PD has been told they need something to defeat barricades. I'm wondering, how they will know what is behind a block wall?

The next unusual visitor was a BSA Model 2 Standard Air Rifle.  This is a spring air gun with about 8 lbs cocking effort for 12 fpe ballistic energy (at the muzzle).  It has a classic, early 20th century stock design and uses a under-barrel lever rather than the barrel for cocking.  The guns in either the No. 1 or No. 2 bores (.177 and .22 respectively) have an excellent reputation for accuracy.  They have adjustable triggers as well.

BSA Standard Air Rifle Cross-section

The problem this one has is that it will not cock.  The problem we have in repairing it is how to get it apart and back together.  Except for the above cross section, there is a dearth of repair information on the internet.  Even W. H. B. Smith's excellent book "Gas, Air and Spring Guns of the World" fails to give sufficient help in this even though it mentions the BSA guns. 

For those users who are willing to invest in their investment (and isn't any shooting purchase an investment?) Cornell Pubs has a BSA Air Rifle Catalog.  I doubt that the catalog provides information on the "how to" of lubrication or repair but I think one is ahead to have any information at all.

One might get some support from:
- Knibbs International
- Chambers Guns
- Protek Supplies

Books which might be of help are:
- "The Golden Century" by John Knibbs (out of print)
- "Exploded Airgun Drawings, Second Edition" by John Groenewold