Thread: All things BSA

Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

The built in recoil reducer^ was magnaporting wasn't it?

The brake that BSA did was marketed as the BESSA which is an acronym for which I can't remember.Wasnt magnaporting which mite have been Weetherby??.The BESSA brake could be "turned off" by slipping over a female sleeve profiled to the muzzle contour with corresponding machined close outs opposite each port.Held in place with a machine screw.

In this thread https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co....counts.143329/ it is briefly mentioned that the BSA viscount was produced with a fiberglass stock and only 5 were produced. Has anyone ever heard of or seen one of these rifles?
The reason I ask is because of this:

Hard to tell if there is a few "unicorns" out there and if this indeed is one of those unicorns but it is a very "period" looking fiberglass stock although in great condition, however I do realize aftermarket options have been released over the years although the ones I have seen have been obviously more modern productions than the rifle themselves.

Corporal Trading in Oz made a few stocks for these, from memory. Nick Harvey used one for his 284 custom.

Sent from my SM-S906E using Tapatalk

I'd love to get a hold of a copy of John Knibbs book which apparently sheds some light on a lot of things. There seems to be so many discrepancies with serial numbers, hunter marked actions etc it's all a bit overwhelming sometimes! From what I gather from that brief mention of his book Imperials marked with 11B were all 243 apart from the 5 that were in the factory glass stocks which were 7x57 but who knows, my 308 is marked C3B which isn't even on the list!

Picked it up today. My little collection has started

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Picked it up today. My little collection has started

Attachment 215033

Careful , collecting old guns can get very addictive and a hard habit to get rid of LOL

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Picked it up today. My little collection has started

Attachment 215033

That fibreglass BSA Stock is something unique Ryan. Very interesting. What is the Calibre? How does it feel to shoot?

The bottom BSA Rifle is very nice - I'm guessing a (Royal) Viscount in .308 from about 1957-58? Does it have a hollowed out bolt handle?

Originally Posted by Copelli

That fibreglass BSA Stock is something unique Ryan. Very interesting. What is the Calibre? How does it feel to shoot?

The bottom BSA Rifle is very nice - I'm guessing a (Royal) Viscount in .308 from about 1957-58? Does it have a hollowed out bolt handle?

Yes I'm not real sure exactly the story behind the rifle, I bought it off the rack at Frontier Supplies in Te Anau so it may have been a fiordland rifle all its life, there was also a very nice zkk beside it that had me tempted, I assume they may have been from a deceased estate as are a lot of older rifles that turn up in stores. I actually walked away but then ended up getting a buddy from Te Anau to go back in and purchase the BSA for me (thanks @Rock river arms hunter ) as we live a couple hours from Te Anau. We have a boat at the marina in Te Anau so next time I'm over there I'll pop in and ask the guys if they have any backstory to it. The stock is well made and has been well looked after but doesn't seem "modern" if that makes any sense. In John Knibbs book there is mention of 5 only Viscounts that were released with a factory built fibreglass stock, it may be wishful thinking and I may just never know but I think it would be very neat to discover this was one of them, they would have been very radical for their time!
You are right on the bottom rifle although it's does not have a hollowed bolt knob, again using John Knibbs list the serial puts it as a very early manufactured Royal Viscount so possibly 1956-57 manufactured. It's had a repair to the stock which is why it now has crossbolts but they are tastefully done and somebody has put a lot of love into it, the stock is awesome condition and has had the chequering re-cut and been refinished in an oil finish. Such nice rifles that just feel quality when you use them, I'm quite smitten.
7x57 now has a Kahles S2 2.3-7 scope on it and Parker hale 26mm rings. I'll have the anodizing on the trigger guard re-done and will find a front sight hood from somewhere and it will be complete.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Yes I'm not real sure exactly the story behind the rifle, I bought it off the rack at Frontier Supplies in Te Anau so it may have been a fiordland rifle all its life, there was also a very nice zkk beside it that had me tempted, I assume they may have been from a deceased estate as are a lot of older rifles that turn up in stores. I actually walked away but then ended up getting a buddy from Te Anau to go back in and purchase the BSA for me (thanks @Rock river arms hunter ) as we live a couple hours from Te Anau. We have a boat at the marina in Te Anau so next time I'm over there I'll pop in and ask the guys if they have any backstory to it. The stock is well made and has been well looked after but doesn't seem "modern" if that makes any sense. In John Knibbs book there is mention of 5 only Viscounts that were released with a factory built fibreglass stock, it may be wishful thinking and I may just never know but I think it would be very neat to discover this was one of them, they would have been very radical for their time!
You are right on the bottom rifle although it's does not have a hollowed bolt knob, again using John Knibbs list the serial puts it as a very early manufactured Royal Viscount so possibly 1956-57 manufactured. It's had a repair to the stock which is why it now has crossbolts but they are tastefully done and somebody has put a lot of love into it, the stock is awesome condition and has had the chequering re-cut and been refinished in an oil finish. Such nice rifles that just feel quality when you use them, I'm quite smitten.
7x57 now has a Kahles S2 2.3-7 scope on it and Parker hale 26mm rings. I'll have the anodizing on the trigger guard re-done and will find a front sight hood from somewhere and it will be complete.
Attachment 215778
Attachment 215779

Yes, those cross bolts on the .308 look very nicely done. I have a '57-58 BSA Viscount in 7x57, which made its way to NZ via South Africa, which also has x2 cross bolts added, and the workmanship on them is superb. Some clever gunsmiths / stock specialists out there eh!

I must post photos of my various 1950s BSAs here some time - they are lovely rifles, not all mint but all (excepting the 7x57) in original condition.

The only other rifles of the 1950-1957/8 era which I think IMHO compare in look, feel, quality and all-around 'appeal' factor with these BSAs are the BRNO Model 21 and ZG47, and the Sako L46.

And the Mannlicher-Schoenauers (but they're pricks of things to mount a scope on)

Not bad for an old girl. Factory S&B 140 soft point

Good to see you didn’t deface our logo!
Showing promise. Enough to go hunting I reckon.

While not as collectable as older BSA sporting rifles, the Monarch models are well made, have good ergonomics and in my case shoot well. This is a .243 Win I bought f my son as first rifle some 10 years back.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Dicko

While not as collectable as older BSA sporting rifles, the Monarch models are well made, have good ergonomics and in my case shoot well. This is a .243 Win I bought f my son as first rifle some 10 years back.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From memory they are heafty but very workable.

Just on 4kg scoped with 3-9 leupold and unloaded. Pretty manageable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Dicko

Good to see you didn’t deface our logo!
Showing promise. Enough to go hunting I reckon.

I don't know why he didn't use that for his aiming point, it's very precise and neat.