Looking for info: BSA Century .22
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BSA made a LOT of .22's!
their Martini Target rifles are the best known, but they have turned out various boltaction.22's over the years = singleshot, magazine repeaters, and tube mags, all in their "Sportsman" line. They also made a few autoloaders and pumpactions. I've never heard of a "Century" BSA .22 - could it be a BSA rimfire imported by Century Arms?
I'm curious, as I have 6 BSA's
their Martini Target rifles are the best known, but they have turned out various boltaction.22's over the years = singleshot, magazine repeaters, and tube mags, all in their "Sportsman" line. They also made a few autoloaders and pumpactions. I've never heard of a "Century" BSA .22 - could it be a BSA rimfire imported by Century Arms?
I'm curious, as I have 6 BSA's
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The BSA Century........
This rifle was something of a half way house and was a compromise between the "Sportsman" series of bolt action .22 Sporting Rifles and the Martini actioned target rifles that BSA produced.
Not certain but it may well have been a rifle which either filled as a stop gap between the older BSA Martini and the
later "International" model's. Alternatively it may have been built to be something of a challenge to the growing preference for the "bolt action" as opposed to the Martini action. The Anschutz models were eating into the BSA market with their bolt action rifles.
Basically it looks like a Sportsman Five bolt action type receiver fitted with a bull barrel.
Fitted with diopter type target sights (and the few I've seen had blocks inlet into the barrel for a scope)
Unusually for a Target rifle it was fitted with a magazine (clip to you guys )
They are not really common, nor difficult to find a good one (with sights) would cost £ 100 -150 (about $150 - 225US)
Hope this helps.
This rifle was something of a half way house and was a compromise between the "Sportsman" series of bolt action .22 Sporting Rifles and the Martini actioned target rifles that BSA produced.
Not certain but it may well have been a rifle which either filled as a stop gap between the older BSA Martini and the
later "International" model's. Alternatively it may have been built to be something of a challenge to the growing preference for the "bolt action" as opposed to the Martini action. The Anschutz models were eating into the BSA market with their bolt action rifles.
Basically it looks like a Sportsman Five bolt action type receiver fitted with a bull barrel.
Fitted with diopter type target sights (and the few I've seen had blocks inlet into the barrel for a scope)
Unusually for a Target rifle it was fitted with a magazine (clip to you guys
)They are not really common, nor difficult to find a good one (with sights) would cost £ 100 -150 (about $150 - 225US)
Hope this helps.
Re: The BSA Century........
ooooh! happiness!! The FIRST person I have ever talked (typed) to that knows what I am referring to
Nice rifle, stock is a bit battered, tho.
I've never seen a 3 point sling, do you know of photo(s)?
There is a threaded stud, approx .750", underside of forend.
Is this a mount for a palmrest?
And last, do you know of a source for a magazine or two?
thank you very much
gary
ooooh! happiness!! The FIRST person I have ever talked (typed) to that knows what I am referring to
Nice rifle, stock is a bit battered, tho.
I've never seen a 3 point sling, do you know of photo(s)?
There is a threaded stud, approx .750", underside of forend.
Is this a mount for a palmrest?
And last, do you know of a source for a magazine or two?
thank you very much
gary
English said:This rifle was something of a half way house and was a compromise between the "Sportsman" series of bolt action .22 Sporting Rifles and the Martini actioned target rifles that BSA produced.
Not certain but it may well have been a rifle which either filled as a stop gap between the older BSA Martini and the
later "International" model's. Alternatively it may have been built to be something of a challenge to the growing preference for the "bolt action" as opposed to the Martini action. The Anschutz models were eating into the BSA market with their bolt action rifles.
Basically it looks like a Sportsman Five bolt action type receiver fitted with a bull barrel.
Fitted with diopter type target sights (and the few I've seen had blocks inlet into the barrel for a scope)
Unusually for a Target rifle it was fitted with a magazine (clip to you guys
They are not really common, nor difficult to find a good one (with sights) would cost £ 100 -150 (about $150 - 225US)
Hope this helps.
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319 Posts
BSA Spare Parts...........
There is a company in Birmingham called "John Knibbs" if you do a search on that name the details were posted a while back
You should be able to find him on Google.
Best Regards,
English.
If you have bought the rifle and cant find one - let me know and I'll see what I can find over here.
They wont be cheap though they are as rare as hens teeth!
I bought and junked a rifle for a spare mag and that was cheaper than buying a mag (assuming i could have found one!).
There is a company in Birmingham called "John Knibbs" if you do a search on that name the details were posted a while back
You should be able to find him on Google.
Best Regards,
English.
If you have bought the rifle and cant find one - let me know and I'll see what I can find over here.
They wont be cheap though they are as rare as hens teeth!
I bought and junked a rifle for a spare mag and that was cheaper than buying a mag (assuming i could have found one!).
Whitevr6 - John Knibbs in Birmingham, England - as already suggested, look him up on Google. I think he even has the BSA records and should be able to tell you the day your rifle left the factory! He sells spares etc for all manner of BSAs.
When I lived in the UK we had one in the club I used to shoot at - very accurate and, owing to its weight, very steady. A 'bull- barreled Sportsman' is a fair description of the rifle.
Spikey
When I lived in the UK we had one in the club I used to shoot at - very accurate and, owing to its weight, very steady. A 'bull- barreled Sportsman' is a fair description of the rifle.
Spikey
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319 Posts
Unfortuantely Britain is a ...............
Queue (lineup) culture rather than a fast service culture.
There is a holiday Monday 4th May but they should be giving you service right now.
If you want PM me with the enquiry you have and I'll phone in office hours (if you confirm who it is you are asking)
You would need to do that quickly or i will be away from a computer until after the holiday.
Best Regards,
English.
PS if you are after something that is rare/in demand whey may be waiting on a response to their own enquiry?
Queue (lineup) culture rather than a fast service culture.
There is a holiday Monday 4th May but they should be giving you service right now.
If you want PM me with the enquiry you have and I'll phone in office hours (if you confirm who it is you are asking)
You would need to do that quickly or i will be away from a computer until after the holiday.
Best Regards,
English.
PS if you are after something that is rare/in demand whey may be waiting on a response to their own enquiry?
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319 Posts
Whitevr6...........
I phoned John Knibbs and spoke to them today.
Apparently they have Century Magazines as you said. They are £25.
Post and packing to the USA would be £5.
You can phone and confirm your order with your credit card or you can fax them.
The telephone number is (in the UK) 0121 782 3391.
The Fax is 0121 782 0224.
Using the phone or fax from the US I think you need to use:
0044 121 782 3391 Tel
0044 121 782 0224 Fax
I hope this sorts you out and gets you fixed up.
Regards,
English.
I phoned John Knibbs and spoke to them today.
Apparently they have Century Magazines as you said. They are £25.
Post and packing to the USA would be £5.
You can phone and confirm your order with your credit card or you can fax them.
The telephone number is (in the UK) 0121 782 3391.
The Fax is 0121 782 0224.
Using the phone or fax from the US I think you need to use:
0044 121 782 3391 Tel
0044 121 782 0224 Fax
I hope this sorts you out and gets you fixed up.
Regards,
English.
For Future Curiosity For Those Not Familiar
A BSA Century i still use to shame some with. Just an all around great feeling and balanced rifle. Best bolt action rimfire i ever owned. The trigger is super crisp and very light and can be set up for single and double stage. I have had 2 and shot the riflings out in the first. This one gets to see the range perhaps once a year if lucky. These lil rifles are getting scarce as some hen's teeth these days. Tossed in a picture where she sleeps with a Savage Annie model 64 Match (for size comparison). Glad to happen upon this old post.
A BSA Century i still use to shame some with. Just an all around great feeling and balanced rifle. Best bolt action rimfire i ever owned. The trigger is super crisp and very light and can be set up for single and double stage. I have had 2 and shot the riflings out in the first. This one gets to see the range perhaps once a year if lucky. These lil rifles are getting scarce as some hen's teeth these days. Tossed in a picture where she sleeps with a Savage Annie model 64 Match (for size comparison). Glad to happen upon this old post.
Attachments
Wow, really old thread.
I also own one. The action is the same as the BSA Supersport 5, not the Sportsman series. The Sportsman series are cock on close whilst the Supersport/Century cock on opening.
Mine was a "club" rifle so unfortunately has had a hard life eg extra holes drilled in the fore end for sling attachment points.
I got mine via a postal auction so a bit of a risk being sight unseen. It came with an ancient Bushnell scope (with multiplier), a single shot adaptor (sprung hinged follower, well made), and Parker Hale rear aperture sight plus a selection of fore sight elements.
It is quite nice to shoot - I shoot with the irons and get a reel buzz out of shooting it lIke that despite ancient eyes. Have shot reasonable groups at 100yd. So, accurate but not as accurate as my BSA Martini. I think they struggled to be competitive against their stable mate Martinis.
They are not common here.
I also own one. The action is the same as the BSA Supersport 5, not the Sportsman series. The Sportsman series are cock on close whilst the Supersport/Century cock on opening.
Mine was a "club" rifle so unfortunately has had a hard life eg extra holes drilled in the fore end for sling attachment points.
I got mine via a postal auction so a bit of a risk being sight unseen. It came with an ancient Bushnell scope (with multiplier), a single shot adaptor (sprung hinged follower, well made), and Parker Hale rear aperture sight plus a selection of fore sight elements.
It is quite nice to shoot - I shoot with the irons and get a reel buzz out of shooting it lIke that despite ancient eyes. Have shot reasonable groups at 100yd. So, accurate but not as accurate as my BSA Martini. I think they struggled to be competitive against their stable mate Martinis.
They are not common here.
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I have been able to use the Remington 500 series metal mags in my Supersport 5 with a little work. I think they are the same mag used in the Century.
Yep, same mags used in Supersport and Century.
Good info about the Rem 500 mags.
I'm refurbishing one right now. Seven extra holes in the stock, jammed rear sight, and a weak mainspring among other things. If you read the article about it on the rifleman.org site you might come away thinking the thing is a piece of crap, but that's not the case at all. It appears to be a good quality rifle and I'm looking forward to trying it out.
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