Thread: BSA 7x57 advice

Your shotgun is a bit of a mystery. It was made after 1925, and from the 2-1/2" chambers I would think well before WW2. The Target brand on the action flat is nothing more than a marketing name chosen by some retail customer who would have ordered a few of them. I believe the gun was made by the Midland Gun company of Birmingham who were very active in the trade before WW2, and manufactured guns for retailers with their individual brands on them. Examples are fairly commonly found in NZ and Australia with names like NZ Farmers Co-Op, W H Tisdall, Colonial Ammunition Company, etc. These guns were offered in a wide variety of grades from plain hammer guns to high quality sidelock ejectors, and retailers often offered two or three grades. I suspect the Target brand was for an English retailer and I have never seen it before. Do not use 2-3/4" cartridges in this gun as that will produce higher pressures in the sort chamber and shorten the life of the gun. I believe Falcon offer 2-1/2" ammo on a limited basis. As I stated earlier, the gun is not designed nor safe to used with steel shot.

Your 7x57 BSA is popularly known as a Hunter model in NZ but the action was made in different lengths for different cartridges and can also be known as the Royal, Imperial, and Viscount, depending on the action length. It is a well-made and collectable rifle, and as such I would advise you to leave it in its original condition. Stock refinishing, bedding, or rebarrelling will all adversely affect its collector value.

Thanks heaps for your advice Sideshow, Russian 22., rewa, Marty Henry, and gundoc the main reason I wanted to reblue and refurbish the stock was to lengthen the rifles lifespan as opposed to it looking better. It was given to me on the proviso that it didn't just sit in my safe so anything I can do to mean that it gets some meat but will last in its current condition to still be passed on is what I'll do.

Scotty had a good point is it a big issue putting a 1 inch tube in 26mm rings? It seems pretty snug but but me trying to wiggle it probably isn't that scientific.

Gundoc thanks so much for the ID on the shotgun. This one might just stay in the safe as an ornament.

The .22 has pitting on the barrel so I'm guessing that's a write off too? also missing the magazine atm.

Originally Posted by Newbie

Thanks heaps for your advice Sideshow, Russian 22., rewa, Marty Henry, and gundoc the main reason I wanted to reblue and refurbish the stock was to lengthen the rifles lifespan as opposed to it looking better. It was given to me on the proviso that it didn't just sit in my safe so anything I can do to mean that it gets some meat but will last in its current condition to still be passed on is what I'll do.

Scotty had a good point is it a big issue putting a 1 inch tube in 26mm rings? It seems pretty snug but but me trying to wiggle it probably isn't that scientific.

Gundoc thanks so much for the ID on the shotgun. This one might just stay in the safe as an ornament.

The .22 has pitting on the barrel so I'm guessing that's a write off too? also missing the magazine atm.

Pitting on the outside of the barrel is of no consequence, it is the condition of the bore that matters. .22 rimfire ammunition is both self-cleaning and protects the bore, this technology going back to the 1920's. Your BSA Supersport was made in the 1950's and the bore should still be fine. Sadly, magazines for the Supersport are now very hard to find but the rifle still has some collector value. If you can find a magazine then you will find the Supersport to be a very well-made and accurate rifle.