BSA, are they Ok?

K98

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Would a BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) Bolt Action rifle be a good buy? My hands-on gun buying options are very limited because so few stores in my area carry guns (actually none within 90 miles) and most guns I've been buying lately are used on-line sales so some of the time I don't know what I'm going to end up getting. I don't know much about these rifles except that they may be similar to a Parker Hale. I have 2 Parker Hale's already. A Parker Hale 1200C in .243 and a CIL 972C in .270. The problem with both these guns is that unless you're careful the extracter claw won't close over the rim and will jam the case into the chamber, although I believe this problem was corrected with the newer guns because a friends Parker Hale 30-06 didn't seem to have that problem.
 
Brit guns are great, the feed problem is most likely coming from one at a time feed, push the case down in the mag and feed from there. Big change:D
Frank
I own the BSA Monarch , 1100 parker hale, both are wonderful.

Now BSA optics on the other hand... Very funny , but true
 
I owned a BSA Monarch in 7mm Rem Mag

the thing was/is garbage. original barrel was messed and accuracy was terrible on average. got it rebarreled and it shot ok, but then the extractor broke off and was lost. the replacement part never worked 100% and I sold the rifle for cheap here on CGN, and it has since been sold again.

Id look at a cheaper Savage or Stevens 200 via mail order

http://www.russellsports.com/




 
The Old Man has a 7mmWBY built on a BSA by a fellow from Vancouver named Ian Dingwall. Great rifle, hell for strong (as we proved with some accidental high pressure loads) and accurate. Not sure who made the barrel as the thing was built in about 1960.
 
The BSA is a totally different rifle than the Parker Hales. The PHs were refurbished Mauser actions fitted to sporter stocks,

The BSAs were all hand-built in-house , one at a time., including the barrels. The older CRF versions are my favorites. The push-feed CF2 and Monarchs were also good rifles.
 
I have owned several BSA's,I have a CF2 in 270 win right now,had a CF2 in 22-250 that I traded to my son and he still has it.Also had a BSA Royal.All would should very well.I would not hesitate to buy another if one can my way.
 
Aw what the hell. It has been a long time since I was impressed with a BSA gun. Some of thier older stuff was well made, and I enjoyed the CF2, even with the aluminum trigger guard etc, but none of them ever impressed deep down, usually the opposite.
The bluing was usually lacking, the polish never what it could have been, and the checkering on thier stocks was pathetic most of the time.
The bolts and triggers never awed me, though the CF2s were easily adjustable, which was a nice feature.
Over all I rate them on par with Remington...which ain't saying much.
In truth I have generally avoided most British made sporting guns like the plague. PHs and even worse Midlands...ewwww. But hey, it depends on the action, over all, I would pass unless it was dirt cheap.
 
If the BSA you are looking at looks like this and has an asking price of less than 500 clams let me know the details if you don't buy it!
BSA%20Featherweight.JPG
 
"Boo, the PH rifles are made from brand new, sporter actioned Mausers at the Spanish arsenal at La Curuna, and shipped to PH in England for stock, trigger and barrel.

My PH is the most accurate rifle in my battery, but I am looking for another trigger for my PH, since the factory trigger is among other things, to noisy to disingage to the fire mode, and this year spooked my elk away before I could move my trigger finger to the trigger. The distance to the elk was about 40 yards.
 
Gibbs505 said:
BSA hasn't made a firearm in years except for airguns!


No. not since the early 1970s

Remington, and the threaded tubes they called receivers, pretty well killed off all well made firearms including the BSA and the "real" Winchester M70


Most buyers could not tell #### from shineola and bought the cheapest rifle they could find regardless of quality. Hell look at the Remington 788 if you want to see an example of a piece of crap action dominating the market! Solely designed to sink the cheap offerings from Winchester, Colt, Mossberg and Savage it was discontinued after it's work was done and somehow became a cult classic in the meantime!
 
BSA Majestic Deluxe Featherweight and Monarch were awesome rifles. Very smooth action, integral milled bases, factory muzzle brake in 1960!!!, 3 way adjustable trigger, crossbolt safety (Weatherby copied it ), engraved bolt, mine shot 5/8" groups at 100yds with Federal Premium 165gr. , and weighed about six pounds. Excellent rifle.
 
It depends on the model and the year manufactured (Majestic, CF2, Monarch, etc and the late 70's quality is usually not as good as early 60's).

I own a wide range of firearms and one of my favorites ia a BSA Majestic Deluxe Featherweight in 30-06 (had a CF2 in 270 but sold it). This is a high quality and well made rifle. It has a built-in muzzle brake, folding sight, schnobel forend and a beatiful stock. The rifle is very light at just over 6 lbs and the metal has a matte finish (paid $400 for it - fellow GN).

My only negative comment would be that the safety is a bit awkward to operate and not completely quiet like my Tikkas and Sakos. Because of this, I would not use it for deer hunting but would not hesitate to use it for moose.

So, my first choice would be a Majestic, followed by the CF2 and then the Monarch. The price should go between $300 and $500 for one in decent shape.

Duke1

PS. I agree that the quality of the Majestic is better than such North American rifles as Remingtons, Winchesters, Savages, etc. I either own these makes or have owned them in the past.
 
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Also, I really like the palm swell on my 30-06, PH rifle. One of these days, I am going to have a new stock, also with palm swell, made up for that fine Spanish/British rifle with a detacable four round clip. Never liked the square front end of the PH stock.

I will definitely install a new trigger with more quit safety on the PH before the next hunting season.

Tried few years ago to convert a ten shoot detachable, Remington clip to function from the PH, without luck. I recon that I have to spend $95.- for another PH clip from the next gunshow, cut the bottom out of it, and weld the Remingon magazine to the PH magazine, and then have a realiable ten shot clip for my PH :D
 
BigUglyMan said:
The Old Man has a 7mmWBY built on a BSA by a fellow from Vancouver named Ian Dingwall....

Holy crow... I haven't heard that name in ages. Any Vancouverites remember where he worked? Was he the resident gunsmith at Harkely & Haywood?

:) Stuart
 
[QUOTE='Boo]If the BSA you are looking at looks like this and has an asking price of less than 500 clams let me know the details if you don't buy it!
BSA%20Featherweight.JPG
[/QUOTE]

...actually the one I was thinking of was this one in 7 x 57mm but I finally got ahold of them and they sold it 3 weeks ago! :(

Code:
http://www.shootist.ab.ca/drif9.html

5057.jpg
 
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