BSA Model No.1 Single Shot .22" Rifle.

The Birmingham Small Arms Company was founded in 1861 but was not an instant success commercially - orders for firearms being much delayed by the then British Government.

After struggling and later shutting down for a full year - they started manufacture of bicycles in 1880 and in 1905 built their first BSA motorcycles.

 - Who can ever forget the sheer brute power of the post-war BSA Bantam 125cc two stroke - "prrPrrprrPpp" (4.5 bhp!) - and that romantic and aromatic haze of blue oil smoke?

Note: This superbly British motorbike was actually 'mirror-image' copied from the German DKW RT125, - the rights for which were handed-over (taken) as wartime reparations (plunder) in 1948. And believe it or not - this same basic model was also built in USA by .. Harley Davidson !

. - Demand for firearms picked-up greatly with the advent of The First World War and kept them going until after the Second World War ended.

       From the wording of this early ad, Britain had not yet 'sold-out' entirely.

The BSA Model No.1 was introduced in 1908 as a 'Training & Target' Rifle costing One Pound and Fifteen Shillings (that's something like 1.75 pounds) when a contemporary Vickers-Armstrong Martini MkII cost Five Pounds - so the BSA was a bargain of the day.

In 1947 the 'Sportsman' model was introduced and continued in production well into the 1950s.

These single-shots have a sturdy and long lived action that makes them very useful for introducing new shooters to the disciplines needed for safe gun handling. - Start with a single-shot rimfire long-arm and progress to five shot magazine fed bolt-action - to semi-auto - to centre-fire - to shot-gun, - only then should the closely watched and controlled tyro be permitted to handle the exciting revolvers and semi-autos, - once again working-up from rimfire to centre-fire.

           1.5 inch group at 25yards from my Model No.1. (Using 1977 vintage IMI ammo!)
                  (using a V notch rear and bead fore-sight - and scratched old glasses)

In 1973 BSA was "rescued" from collapse and sold to Manganese Bronze Holdings that is now Chinese owned by Geely Automobile - who still operate 'Carbodies' makers of London Taxi Cabs by 'The London Taxicab Company'.

 -  'Carbodies' were to blame for developing and making the first tricky and expensive long bonnets for the 'E-Type Jaguar' ! 

BSA Guns (UK) continues to this day - to make air rifles and some shotguns - under ownership of Gamo. - That's all that remains of the once proud outfit that made those Lee-Metford .303 Rifles for the British Empire and Commonwealth and the BSA No.1 Training & Target models!

                                               THE 'PILED ARMS' Motif of BSA.
Marty K
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

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