BSA Viscount safety lever

[Potashminer]

Hello - I recently acquired a "Viscount" in 7x57 - made by BSA and the Birmingham proof marks suggest 1955 proofing. I notice even a minor amount of wiggling of the bolt handle makes the safety lever on the shroud "pop up" to the Fire position - sort of useless, if I fell down and was depending on that safety to prevent the rifle from going off.

I have dismantled it a few times - appears there is a round shaft, from the safety lever, through the shroud - has a flat area that allows the cocking piece to go forward, when the safety lever is in "Fire" position - just a round smooth shaft other wise. There is a small coil spring with a "nub" on the end of it - set into that bolt shroud - it seems to press against that round shaft to hold it from rotating - should there be a "dimple" or similar cut there to hold that safety on the "Safe" position?? There is evidence in interior of rifle that someone has been messing with it - is possible there are missing pieces, or replacement pieces installed - I have not been able to find a schematic of what the original should have looked like.

There is at least one "on-line" discussion describing a "ball" at the leading edge of that small coil spring that apparently bears against that cross shaft - but no ball present on this one - is like a smaller diameter that goes inside the coil, then a larger diameter with more or less tapered, or perhaps, rounded end that bears against the cross shaft - as per that on-line posting - little parts really like to go flying when that cross shaft is slid out ...

 

[guntech]

It sounds like you need to re-invent a missing part...

I found a schematic of a Viscount but it was a Webley Viscount air rifle...

 

[Lodi]

I have a schematic of the BSA Monarch, I think it is similar to the Viscount.

The parts are listed as "Component"...

~ d.20 - Safety Catch
~ d.21 - Safety Catch Roller
~ d.22 - Safety Catch Plunger Spring
~ d.23 - Safety Catch Plunger

22 & 23 are above the Safety Catch and 21 is barely shown, indicated by a line drawing, but is below and possibly in front of the Safety Catch.

PM inbound.

 

[Lodi]

The book Bolt Action Rifles by, Frank de Haas also has the schematic for the Monarch. My copy is circa 1984 and shows the BSA Royal, Majestic, Monarch and Herter U9 in the same chapter, no mention of the Viscount.

 

[Backcountryal]

The original Hunter, Regent, Viscount, Imperial/Royal and Emperor all have similar bolts, only the length varies, the bolt shroud and safety are the same. The following is some info I found a few years ago -

"BSA Hunters were made 1953-55. Only chambered in 222 or 22 Hornet. Early models had no recoil hole in the rear scope base, and mid 1955 BSA stopped engraving “Hunter” on the receiver.

1954 – 59, changed to the Regent, a short action similar to the Hunter, only chambered in 222 and 22 Hornet.
Viscount, a med action chambered in 243, 7x57, 300 savage and 308
Imperial, a long action chambered in 270, 30.06, and 375H&H
This action length was marketed for export out of the UK as the “Royal”
Emporor, a reinforced long action, chambered only in 458 Win."

The Majestic was very similar, but changed to push feed rather than controlled feed, not sure if the original bolt shroud/safety was retained. Have a Viscount 7x57 sitting in the gun safe, but a bit reluctant to dismantle the bolt to check out the safety.

 

[Potashminer]

The original Hunter, Regent, Viscount, Imperial/Royal and Emperor all have similar bolts, only the length varies, the bolt shroud and safety are the same. The following is some info I found a few years ago -

"BSA Hunters were made 1953-55. Only chambered in 222 or 22 Hornet. Early models had no recoil hole in the rear scope base, and mid 1955 BSA stopped engraving “Hunter” on the receiver.

1954 – 59, changed to the Regent, a short action similar to the Hunter, only chambered in 222 and 22 Hornet.
Viscount, a med action chambered in 243, 7x57, 300 savage and 308
Imperial, a long action chambered in 270, 30.06, and 375H&H
This action length was marketed for export out of the UK as the “Royal”
Emporor, a reinforced long action, chambered only in 458 Win."

The Majestic was very similar, but changed to push feed rather than controlled feed, not sure if the original bolt shroud/safety was retained. Have a Viscount 7x57 sitting in the gun safe, but a bit reluctant to dismantle the bolt to check out the safety.

If relying only on yourself and no other reference or resource, be very hesitant to dismantle that thing - I thought it would be easy and simple to do - and it was - to get it apart - but putting it all back together is not straightforward - I think the bolt release function and the safety lever are all related to the trigger function - if that trigger is set correctly and cleaned and lubed properly, then all components likely work as they should - I suspect if the trigger is over-adjusted or under-adjusted, that has a negative effect on the other functions. Not quite as simple and straight forward as a Mauser. Is no separate bolt release - the front end of the "sear" accomplishes that function - is sort of a three lever trigger that more or less "collapses" when tripped. Can read on Internet that some claim they hold their trigger back to remove bolt - others claim they push trigger forward to get bolt out - I have been using a "ty-wrap" snuck under the bolt body to get the bolt out - hopefully that is not the correct procedure.

 

[Potashminer]

The original Hunter, Regent, Viscount, Imperial/Royal and Emperor all have similar bolts, only the length varies, the bolt shroud and safety are the same. The following is some info I found a few years ago -

"BSA Hunters were made 1953-55. Only chambered in 222 or 22 Hornet. Early models had no recoil hole in the rear scope base, and mid 1955 BSA stopped engraving “Hunter” on the receiver.

1954 – 59, changed to the Regent, a short action similar to the Hunter, only chambered in 222 and 22 Hornet.
Viscount, a med action chambered in 243, 7x57, 300 savage and 308
Imperial, a long action chambered in 270, 30.06, and 375H&H
This action length was marketed for export out of the UK as the “Royal”
Emporor, a reinforced long action, chambered only in 458 Win."

The Majestic was very similar, but changed to push feed rather than controlled feed, not sure if the original bolt shroud/safety was retained. Have a Viscount 7x57 sitting in the gun safe, but a bit reluctant to dismantle the bolt to check out the safety.

A late thought - do you know what to measure to distinguish between the short, medium and long action? This one simply says "B.S.A. 7x57mm" on the left side of the receiver, and I can not find ANY model name on it anywhere.

 

[guntech]

If I remember correctly, the easiest way to remove the bolt is first make sure it is unloaded, then while cocked and closed, hold the trigger back (firing it) and keep holding it back while opening and with drawing the bolt.

 

[Potashminer]

Yes - "dry firing", then holding the trigger back and withdrawing the bolt is one procedure that some people report does work on their rifle - I just tried it - does not work on this one - With the action out of the stock, I can push down on a gizmo at rear of trigger unit and remove the bolt, or I can slide in my "Ty-Rap" and depress the front of that "sear" to allow the bolt to come out. Not sure what I did, when I dismantled and re-assembled, but is not how I suspect it should work ...

 

[Backcountryal]

A late thought - do you know what to measure to distinguish between the short, medium and long action? This one simply says "B.S.A. 7x57mm" on the left side of the receiver, and I can not find ANY model name on it anywhere.

The 7x57 bolt should measure 161mm from the front of the bolt face to the back edge of the bolt shroud on a complete bolt. According to the records the 7x57 serial number had a prefix of 5B.

 

[Potashminer]

The 7x57 bolt should measure 161mm from the front of the bolt face to the back edge of the bolt shroud on a complete bolt. According to the records the 7x57 serial number had a prefix of 5B.

That measurement actually exceeds the capacity of this elderly vernier scale calliper - is something less than 161 mm - closer to 160.7 mm or so. That is a rather odd place to measure, as it includes the thread engagement of the bolt shroud to the bolt body, which might vary? I took the measurement with the cocking piece resting in the "high" notch - as when the bolt opened and removed from the rifle - not within the "has been fired" notch. Is probable that the cocking piece and main spring are holding the bolt shroud slightly away from the bolt body - I can see light through there. The serial number on this receiver is "C 53###". BNP marks say the thing is 7 m/m 2.240". The "crossed pennants" show "F" on left side and "B" on right side - so "proof tested" in 1955, I think.