Standard Pattern no.2 (1914) serial no. S77814 

With thanks to Trevor M for permission to use these pics. He says of this spectacular rifle:

"BSA Standard No.2 Air Rifle

Standard pattern. 1 hole trigger block. Complete and amazingly good condition - 98% metal and stock.

Cast trigger guard with adjusting screw. Full pistol grip 14 1/4” stock with hand cut checkering. Wooden butt plug with flat spring and two small screws. Clear etching on cylinder THE BSA STANDARD, AIR RIFLE .22 BORE, (with piled arms trademark between text) THE BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS CO. LTD., SOLE MAKER.

Number 21b aperture sight with 3 apertures fitted on wood above pistol grip. Normal rearsight has original flat spring and marked - RD460163.
Late pattern breech plug with small peg and locating index plunger. Side button release lever but not marked (Patent 25783/10). Very wide shaped smooth trigger. Double safety intercepting sear model marked PAT.30338/10 above serial number on left side of trigger block. Piled arms trademark and 2 LOAD behind rearsight. Tap plate marked PATENT 8246/06. Underlever marked BSA PATENTS 8761-04, 25783789, RD 479972. Stamped RD 479972 under the barrel and number 829T which corresponds with the number on the end of the loading tap.

One of the early etched giant standard models.

A new pair of mainsprings and new piston washer set fitted which replaced what appeared to be the original 1914 items.

Very smooth, powerful and accurate producing consistently around 598fps with RWS Superdome pellets. Full history of three owners since new recorded.
Made Jan-July 1914 and despatched Jan 1914-March 1915."

A comparison of this rifle with the BSA Juvenile (sn S65724 in .177 calibre, 1912). Both models are double safety sear models.

Standard Pattern no.2 (1914) serial no. S78106 

This rifle was made between June and September 1914 and despatched from the factory between June and October 1914, according to John Knibbs. Sadly the etching has disappeared from the top of the cylinder, but apart from that the rifle is in remarkably good condition.

Standard Pattern no.2 (1913) serial no. S71215 

With thanks to Lakey, who wrote the following:

Here we have an early B.S.A 'Standard' in .22 Bore.It was produced during the period April-Sept 1913, and is an early example of a rifle with the double safety sear on the trigger (which was introduced in February 1913)

The rifle is 45.5" long with the long cylinder, which made it a cery capable performer against small game and vermin. Known as the 'Sporting Pattern' it was one of the most powerful air rifles that B.S.A made at the time.

This picture shows the trigger block and serial number. The 'S' prefix denotes the double safety sear, and part of this can be seen just in ftont of the characteristic trigger, with the little cut out at the top. Trigger adjustment was still by means of a bolt through the front of the trigger guard.

This picture shows the right hand side of the Pistolhand stock. It was made in walnut, and still features hand cut chequering. Heat impressed chequering wasnt introduced until 1919.By this time in production, the metal butt plate was phased out and replaced by horizontal lines cut into the wood for grip and a little wooden butt plug, to cover the hole for the stock bolt. This plug was secured by two brass screws.

In this picture you can see the very pronounced overhang of the wrist of the stock designed to surround the web of the thumb and fore finger. In practice, these stocks are very comfortable to use. This gun is fitted with a 141/4" stock (measured from the trigger to the centre of the butt).

These two pictures show the breech area and clearly show the No.10 rearsight. This sight was redesigned for the post WW1 'Standard' air rifles in .177, and .22. (Notice the small lock screw for the auxilliary cocking lever pivot screw. This was also phased out, presumably on cost cutting grounds - when the post WW1 rifles were launched)

View of the underside of the rifle, showing a standard length piston.

Finally, here is an older picture (taken indoors) of the etching on this particular rifle. The lighting conditions out in the garden were poor and I couldnt get a good picture, when I took the rest of these shots)
BSA had only just started etching the model details onto their guns at this point, so this would have been one of the first guns with this style of etching applied. Before this model details were rolled onto the cylinder, whilst the cylinders were 'in the white'.

Standard Pattern no.1 (1914) serial no. S76618 

Here we have a nice example of a .177 cal Standard with clearly
visible etching. It doesn't seem to have had much use and has been
well looked after.

Mr Knibbs says the factory records show the batch it came from was
made between July 1914 and September 1917 and despatched some time
before December 1917. This means rifles within this batch were among
the very last of the pre-1919 BSA air rifles made, even though higher
serial numbers were issued.

Standard Pattern No.2 (1913) serial no. S71571 

With thanks to a collector friend for letting me take these pics of this lovely example of a late pre-WW1 Standard. John Knibbs records that this one was in a batch made between June and November 1913 and despatched by the factory between June 1913 and July 1914, with most despatched in late '13.

Standard Pattern no.1 (1913-14) serial no. S74149 

With thanks to Trevor M in New Zealand for these pics of his refinished pre-WW1 Standard. The original stock was too far gone to use so he found a replacement. As I said to Trevor, his restorations are so sumptuous and meticulous that you suspect the BSA factory gunsmiths that made the rifles would have felt they improved upon the original.

The stock treatment he applied was: "just boiled linseed oil, small amounts hand rubbed in over many days/hours." The chequering was done by a gunsmith friend who specializes in customizing firearms.

Trevor writes about this example:

<b> "A 43" double safety sear BSA Standard in .177 calibre. Fully restored BSA. The original stock was beyond repair and replaced with another contemporary one and in turn re oiled and chequering re cut.

Made October 1913 - April 1914, despatched October 1914."</b>

Standard Pattern no.1 (1914-16) serial no. S80244 

With thanks to a collector friend for permission to take these pics.

John Kibbs lists this rifle as one of the last produced, despatched between 1914 and 1916, in a batch of serial numbers between 80030-80529, 18 of which were gun laying teachers. No numbers were produced between 80305 and 80529.