My BSA Superstar, Part 4

So I asked around on the two main U.S. and U.K. airgun forums about my rifle. The answers came down to "you have a poorly done conversion" and from the "Ben" in Theoben, "Thats how they were 10 years ago!" So it is likely a Theoben setup, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So I decided to put the original BSA coil spring back in.

I found some o-rings that fit the rotary breech and slid it in first, then tapped the handle on.

I put the spring guide in the piston.

And slid the piston in. The slot on top clears the scope rail feet.

You can't slide the piston in if the breech is open, so I closed it...but it was a good seal test!

Slotting a pusher so that it will clear the cross pin and bear on the spring guide washer.

I drifted the scope rail back on.

Pushing in the spring and guides.

Once the end of the guide is past the crosspin hole, I pushed the crosspin in and aligned it.

All the force is now bearing on the cross pin.

I used the conversion end cap because I had to tap the hole for the stock screw out to #10-32. Figured I'd keep the stock end cap stock...

I pushed in the sear and the pin that it pivots/slides on.

I glued together the plastic cap.

And inserted it into the end of the tube.

Finally I attached the stock to the rifle.

I checked to make sure the rifle functioned, and it did. So I put some shots over the chronograph. With Crosman Premier Lights I was getting around 840-860 f.p.s., or just over 12 ft/lbs. This is just fine, and about 100 f.p.s. faster than it was shooting before. Whether it was the new breech seals or replacing the Theoben ram, I don't know.


Now what am I going to do with this Theoben pump?