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Second Hand Focus: BSA spitfire

Second Hand Focus: BSA spitfire

The focus of this month’s second hand feature is a real curio; for pick up the BSA Spitfire and if you are at all familiar with airguns, then your senses and instincts will be utterly confused. The temptation of course, is to grab hold of that barrel and yank it down firmly to cock the mainspring. Well the problem is there isn’t one!

For what we have here is a prime example of one of the legendary John Bowkett’s designs. Bowkett had an association with the famous old Birmingham factory behind the scenes, for decades and the Spitfire was an intriguing idea that saw many years of production.

Outwardly, extremely similar to the spring-powered Supersport and MK1 Lightning, the Spitfire is actually a pre-charged pneumatic, with the recoilless power plant cleverly shoehorned into the chassis of a traditional ‘springer’. The Spitfire was manufactured by BSA between 1999 and 2005, and this particular gun sports serial number DR02937, and is in .22 calibre.

CAREFULLY DOES IT!

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Given the unique design, care needs to be taken when cocking the action. Just break open the breech, and the gentlest further pressure cocks the hammer mechanism. The barrel stops at an angle of around 30° at this point, so it takes you by surprise. It’s an effortless operation, and totally at odds with what your brain expects.

The ‘HF’ suffix in the model name denotes what BSA termed ‘High Fill’ and this version sees the action charged from a divers bottle or pump, via a probe, which is inserted into the inlet valve, underneath the forend. Earlier ‘SF ‘(Standard Fill) variants, were designed to be filled from a buddy bottle, with the option of using a diver’s tank too. A 232 bar and in-line valving meant you could expect between 35 and 50 shots in .177 calibre, and between 55 and 70 in .22

SECONDS

If you’re in the market for a Spitfire, then as with any second hand rifle, cast a careful eye beforehand. The design was known for air leaks, so worn seals are an obvious area to look out for. Otherwise, the main area to focus on, has to be the breech, where an over enthusiast cocking motion (expecting the usual resistance of a spring gun) could have slightly bent the barrel or worn the lock-up.

A fixed-barrel version, known as the Firebird, featuring a revolving breech, was launched by BSA and either rifle represents an interesting addition to any serious airgun collection. As for this rather graceful Spitfire, it’s up for sale at around £250, which makes sense financially, given the appeal of this intriguingly different airgun.

Many thanks go to Andrew, CJ and Craig at MGR Guns, for further details on this and other guns in stock, see their website at www. mgrguns.co.uk . The shop can be found at the main crossroads, where the B1191 crosses over the B1192, near the centre of Woodhall Spa; and parking is easy, with plenty of free space available in the high street.

CONTACT

MGR Guns, 1, Witham Road, Woodhall Spa, Lincs., LN10 6RW, Tel 01526 351750 Opening hours are Mon, Tues, Fri and Sat- open 9-5, Thur late 9-7, closed Wed and Sun.

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  • Second Hand Focus: BSA spitfire - image {image:count}

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