BSA IMD .22 No.12 45”

[RedRoyRegulator]

Recently I managed to find another IMD with the No.12 peep sight in .22 flavour from around 1909

The rifle is in fair condition most of the original bluing is still present on the barrel, most of the bluing has worn off the cylinder, it’s also got a crack running across the side of the tang which is unfortunately commonly seen on these rifles.

Previous owner has fitted the rear sight back to front, could this just be a case of being a lefty?

These early triggers featured a deeply curved trigger blade with three deep grooves in its surface for grip. These grooves were stopped in later trigger designs.

This IMD is 45” in length, 19” barrel & 10.5” cylinder whereas the other .177 IMD I have is a 43” in length, 19” barrel & 9” cylinder

Cylinder markings are nice & crisp with bold lettering. I was hoping this one was an IMB as on the pictures sent to me it looked like a B but I was wrong

Interesting thing about this rifle which I’ve never seen before, below the SN is a number 2, I’m not sure why it’s been marked this way? There’s also an O stamp marking at the bottom of the cocking slot on the cylinder.

Underside of the cocking lever is stamped “LINCOLN JEFFRIES 8761/04”, the barrel has a few stamp markings including “patent 1905” “74” “7” “W” “M” & a “J”within a semi circular shape. I guess these are all just proof marks & the J is possibly an LJ stamp mark, I know old original mainspring’s were stamped with a J.

View from the peep sight

I now have two IMD with the No.12 in .177 & .22Great apertures & a pleasure to shoot

 

[4ndy]

Here you go.

 

[4ndy]

Page 76 of Johns book

 

[RedRoyRegulator]

Thanks for the images @4ndy much appreciated & also thanks to @John M for the information I was thinking it could be the calibre, why do other .22 not have this? Was the number 2 only stamped on the .22 pre WW1 rifles?

So it’s an early pre WW1 No.2 sporting pattern with IMD cylinder, interesting

I believe the No.12 was no longer advertised in 1912 so only a few year production run

Here’s an advertisement for the No.12 from “The book of BSA air rifles 1910”

There’s no mention of the No.12 in the “Back & Front BSA sights 1912-1914 catalogue

Also an image of BSA with No.12 from Edward C. Crossman's article from Field and Stream magazine

 

[jirushi]

Congratulations with your beautiful gun Roy!

 

[RedRoyRegulator]

Thanks @jirushi yes she’s a beaut, shame about the damaged stock but that can be repaired. I will strip & clean later as it’s shooting very low atm

 

[RedRoyRegulator]

I stripped the rifle today it’s been shooting low in power, around 4-5ftlbs washer looks ok tap is nice & airtight.

Matching tap numbers

Cocking lever has two deep grooves cut into the back of the lever

This particular rifle has some of the best rifling I’ve seen on BSA, the usual 12 land grooves but cut very deeply, pictures don’t do it justice really.

The piston in this 45” looks like a piston for a 43” rifle, I’m guessing this rifle shouldn’t have a longer piston like the 45” standard?

The length of my IMD 45” piston with washer pictured in the middle of this picture is 180mm, the long piston 45” S on the bottom is 187mm & the light pattern on top is 118mm, mainspring is 240mm

 

[edbear3]

All the pre 1919's in the larger sizes had the bore number under the serial I have seen, no idea why as marked on the breech, but they just have?

Running well the pre 1919 Sporting model usually makes the most power of any 45 inch from both BSA prewar era's (1905-1919 / 1919-39) gun presumably due to the slightly longer stroke, this is my one last fettled and re-sealed 10 years ago but still doing quite well and shoots smooth and quiet;

https://flic.kr/p/2oEZpmF

ATB, Ed

 

[RedRoyRegulator]

Ah that’s why I’ve not seen them before, thanks @edbear3

My collection consists of mainly IMD pre 1919 in .177 a few L patterns & an S T & CS

Any idea why she’s shooting low ed? Might change mainspring to a 260-270mm see if that helps?