The Imperial Featherweights in 30-06 only run about 6 1/2 lbs. With that Beesa muzzle brake they sound like the last clap of doom, and the racket seems to amplify the effect of the recoil in that light rifle. They're very nicely made, but every time I've bought one I've let it go not long after.
Strangely BSA put those muzzle brakes on some of the early Hunters in .222 and even Hornet. No-one seems to have any idea why.
Since this thread started I've managed to find myself a nice early Hunter in .222. It has the non-schnoble forend and relatively flat bottomed foreend, as well as 'Hunter' engraved on the left rec'vr. wall. Apparently the 'Hunter' engraving was only used at the very beginning of production, around '54 I believe.
There are so many similarities between these early controlled feed BSAs and Brnos of the same period it's hard to ignore.
I think my fondness for the Brnos started way back when I was a young infantry cadet being trained to use the old Bren light machine gun. The name was a composite of 'Brno', in recognition of the original designers, and 'Enfield', where the weapons were built. There's no doubt those Czech designers who found themselves in England after the Germans rolled over their homeland had a great influence on later BSA sporting arms.
KH