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BSA Supersport

BSA Supersport

Upon a cursory glance it reminds you of the Supersport that many of us cut our tentative hunting teeth on. The designation ‘SE’ after the model name I presume means ‘Special Edition’ as it has modern features and cosmetic flourishes often expected these days on even basic break-barrel air rifles.

Over the years I had many Supersports – including carbines, rifle length versions, special custom laversions…  the lot! So how different is the new SE version?

Lightning Struck

The Supersport was also the base for the hugely popular sound moderated Lightning carbine model, and when I saw the first Lightning I sheep-like followed the rest feeling the Lightning was far better and we were leaving the ‘Sport’ behind as a gun that would surely be discontinued.

Well a lot of us were wrong, as the BSA Supersport carried on, and is now available in this upgraded SE format. It’s even being made available with spring or gas ram powerplant!

Changes

The SE has a lovely ambidextrous beech stock with diamond pattern, chequered encrusted panels to aid grip. Two adorn either side of the pistol grip and a pair either side of the slim forend which is nicely rounded on the underside to sit comfortably in your leading hand.

An area of most change is the pistol grip with thumb rest, slim neck and the medium height cheekpiece that starts at the front of the rounded comb to sweep stylishly back, progressively widening outwards while tapering upwards until it curves down and rearward to meet the thick ventilated rubber butt pad. 

The original full length Supersport always looked long. Initially I felt the SE did too, but an overall length of 42” isn’t a crime. I was pleased that the open sights are retained, being a modern ‘fibre-optic’ enhanced set with a hand adjustable ‘micro’ rear sight unit.  Sending a few Milbro Caledonian pellets (I’ve been testing recently) down the barrel was fun and brought back memories of a care free life and the original Supersport.  With the familiar raised foreblade (now with modern ‘Tru-Glo’ enhancements) it’s still a formidable tool for paper punching and medium range hunting.

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So, casting nostalgia aside, I set a 3 – 9 X 40 Fontaine scope on board which being airgun specific proved to be a nice complement to the rifle. A Sportsmatch one-piece medium height 1” scope mount kept everything solid as I began sending lead further down range to a set 25yd zero.

After setting zero with the scope the ‘SE’ was achieving sub 1” groups. It has certainly got a smooth enough cocking and firing cycle. You don’t need to be a champion weight lifter to cock the rifle but be aware it’s more adult oriented than youngster in that department.

Curved Air

I took a closer look at something else I’d ‘felt’ as I thumbed in pellets for every shot. The breech seal actually sits slightly proud of the metalwork of the barrel, but doesn’t get ‘nicked’ as you continually cock the break-barrel action. On even closer inspection I noticed how this is achieved, the back of the action it ‘snicks’ out from and back into has a slightly contoured inward curve, so the seal progressively gets compressed as it fully closes when it’s is back in line with the end of the compression chamber and air transfer port – all held securely by a large wedge shape detente lock.  This is a clever idea making the pivoting and mating parts work in harmony to form a superbly tight seal at the breech, so no possibility of the compressed air you’ve manually created being lost. This could be a design feature we’ll see more of as I’d imagine the breech seal isn’t put under as much potential for damage, so in theory should last far longer and the rifle be more shot to shot consistent.

Performance

A quick check over the chronograph showed there was little difference in the pellets velocity and a steady and healthy 11.6ft lb punch was being delivered at the muzzle from this budget priced springer.

The trigger blade of the adjustable two-stage trigger unit has the look of a design found on more expensive rifles and it lets shots off without a hint of creep as it trips the sears on second stage release. On the right of the action set slightly forward and above the trigger blade is a manual safety lever. Reminiscent of the rocker type catches BSA have used for many a moon the safety has a serrated edge finger friendly plastic end cap which in the rearward position sets the rifle on safe, push it fully forward and you’re now in fire mode.

This is designed in such a way that when the safety is engaged, it can be done with the forefinger of your shooting hand, but you do need to take your finger away from the trigger and move your hand slightly up and forward to operate the lever, then settle the pad of your forefinger back onto the trigger blade and compose the shot. This is when you appreciate the large thumb scallop/rest on top of the stock at the very rear of the cylinder end plug where wood meets metal and it really does allow you to attain a superb level of trigger control.The sound on firing is an acceptable ‘blat’ and recoil is very slight.

Conclusions

This is the perfect type of air rifle that a newcomer to the sport should learn to shoot with – and may well stay with, unless at a later date they get seduced by a clinical recoilless PCP.

Weighing 6.6lbs un-scoped it’s a joy to handle and when shooting it doesn’t feel long or un-balanced in the slightest. Due to the cocking effort I wouldn’t say this is a junior rifle and the obvious developments both internally and out say this is one for medium range hunting in the fields and pest control around the farmyard.

  • BSA Supersport - image {image:count}

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  • BSA Supersport - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • BSA Supersport - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • BSA Supersport - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • BSA Supersport - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • BSA Supersport - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

gun
features

  • Model: BSA Supersport SE
  • Type: Break-Barrel, spring/piston air rifle
  • Stock: Beech wood sporter
  • Overall length:: 42”
  • Barrel length:: 18”
  • Weight:: 6.6lbs un-scoped
  • Trigger:: 2-stage, adjustable
  • Safety:: Manual
  • Calibre:: .22 (on test), also available in .177 and .25
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