BSA Martini International MK II

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:06 am

I emailed Ray at Slimline last night and he responded pretty quick.

They are no longer in production but he had 1 set left for a Parker Hale PH1 sight.

It is on the way.

Clarence

Tim S · Post by **Tim S** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:47 pm

sandy22 wrote: I wouldn't. I'd use a barrel clamp and float the action.

But I'd be wondering how I was going to get all the adjustability people expect in triggers these days out of the Martini design. Plus I'd be having a hard look at the economics of manufacturing this action vs bolt action. (I'm not an engineer either).

Hi Sandy,

I think that's the only alternative. I seem to remember seeing a barrel-clamped alu stocked Mk II in the picture thread on this forum a while back.

I'm not sure if I'd bother changing the trigger, but then I like a very crisp single stage. I would want a blade that's adjustable for reach.

I agree it probably isn't economically viable. Still it's nice to dream.

Cumbrian · Post by **Cumbrian** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:04 pm

I have just spent part of my evening at the range being peppered by spent cases ejected with considerable vigour from my neighbour's BSA - much worse than you would get from an Anschutz - so you might be advised to be on good terms with your fellow shooters before you start! The rain of brass was quite off-putting at times!

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:01 pm

Brian;

So a few here and there from an Anschutz is fine but a rain from a BSA is too much ?
I do not mean to laugh, but I will anyway.

Well all I have to say is that I have had my share of brass from a neighbor burn me at an inapropriate time, but chalked that up to part of the discipline.

Things can be done on the shooters parts(both shooters) to make everyone get along.

Just a point, brass landing on me never bothered me cause I am very focused on my shot.
brass burning me is another story...

JMHO
Clarence

Tim S · Post by **Tim S** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 1:58 am

Cumbrian wrote:I have just spent part of my evening at the range being peppered by spent cases ejected with considerable vigour from my neighbour's BSA - much worse than you would get from an Anschutz - so you might be advised to be on good terms with your fellow shooters before you start! The rain of brass was quite off-putting at times!

Schoolboy error, always go up wind of a BSA!

Cumbrian · Post by **Cumbrian** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:56 am

Tim S wrote:
Cumbrian wrote:I have just spent part of my evening at the range being peppered by spent cases ejected with considerable vigour from my neighbour's BSA - much worse than you would get from an Anschutz - so you might be advised to be on good terms with your fellow shooters before you start! The rain of brass was quite off-putting at times!
Schoolboy error, always go up wind of a BSA!

Had no choice - he was on no.1 firing point, on the left hand of all of us and I was on no.2, with not much of a gap between us!

Cumbrian · Post by **Cumbrian** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:00 am

C. Perkins wrote:Brian;

So a few here and there from an Anschutz is fine but a rain from a BSA is too much ?
I do not mean to laugh, but I will anyway.

Well all I have to say is that I have had my share of brass from a neighbor burn me at an inapropriate time, but chalked that up to part of the discipline.

Things can be done on the shooters parts(both shooters) to make everyone get along.

Just a point, brass landing on me never bothered me cause I am very focused on my shot.
brass burning me is another story...

JMHO
Clarence

I don't know who Brian is but my point, perhaps a bit indirect, was that the BSA has a much stronger spring behind its extractor than an Anschutz. I was trying to be not too serious about the matter. Perhaps I failed.

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:05 pm

Cumbrian;

It's all good, you forgot the smiley face : )

Clarence

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:56 pm

Well I went to the gun show today and found no sling swivels to mount on the existing forend plate.

Did find a 6" long picatinni rail with a quick release swivel.

Got home and went to the hardware store, got out the Dremel and installed it.

It is going to work just fine at this time.

Adjusted my cuff sling and it feels good lying on the living room floor.

Tomarrow is the sight in and ammo test.

Clarence

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:10 pm

Well, as I anticipated, it likes the Eley Tenex the best.
Lapua Center X close behind.
SK and various other Eley were all close but behind the Center X.
I tested firing 30 shot groups.

So Center X it is, no way I can afford the Tenex at a steady diet.

I disabled the ejector so it just extracts and I remove the spent casing with my fingernail.
I figure it serves two purposes.
One is no raining cases on neighboring shooters and also I know for sure the round went off since I can actually see the bullet is gone from the case.

The first round I fired from the rifle, I had to check cause I did not think it went off(little to no recoil at all).

Overall this rifle is sweet, it just eats the X and 10 ring out of the target.

The club had a 1600 match going on next to where I was sighting in.
Went over and talked to the guys and the smallbore director during a break.
Very friendly bunch and invited me to start shooting with them.

Will do my first match in a couple weeks or so.

Clarence

JSBmatch · Post by **JSBmatch** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:22 am

The last I heard was the BSA Martini was being made in India, but not sure if that is still the case or what the quality was/is

Peter

tenpointnine · Post by **tenpointnine** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 5:12 pm

Here are some pics of the MK2, which unfortunately I no longer own.

I will try to post some pics of my Mk4, with American black walnut wooden thumbhole stock.

Walter

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:14 pm

Walter;

My Mark II looks nothing like that, very nice :)
Why did you let her go ?

Clarence

gwsb · Post by **gwsb** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 9:35 am

What you really need to worry about when shooting a BSA in prone matches is the shooter two points to your right. You should make sure it is a smaller shooter.

When ejecting brass the BSA sends it flying at least 2 points down to hit that shooter and he could get really MAD. It may sound like I am joking but I am not.

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 10:36 am

Like I said in my earlier post, I modified mine so it just extracts but does not eject.
I just pick it out with my fingernail.

Clarence

Martin Catley · Post by **Martin Catley** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 1:26 pm

Your post brings back fond memories of when all shooters bar one or two were using various models of BSA, mainly Mk one and two's. This was indoors where the empties hit the low roof and came straight back down. worst was when you got consistant empties hitting your barrel! Most shooters tried to direct empties down range, the Mk 111 directed them forwards at least my one did.

Enjoy your rifle some great shooting has been done with them, good idea to take out the ejector one of the common breakages was in that area and parts are very scarce.

Martin

mbradley · Post by **mbradley** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:40 pm

tenpointnine, who built that stock?

tenpointnine · Post by **tenpointnine** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:26 pm

Here are some (poor quality) pictures of my Mk4 ISU. The stock was built by the same man who built the ali stock, a guy called George Simpson, who was a gunsmith in the North East of England. Most of his work was on pistols, and after the handgun ban in Britain in 1997, he retired and went to live in Scotland.
He not only made ali stocks for Martinis, he also made them to fit Anschutz round actions, ie Match 54, 14/16/18/19 series.
Just like the ali Martini stocks, the common denominator is weight. They are VERY heavy, which is one of the reasons I sold mine.
As Tim says, the Ali stocks have the barrels glued in.
The Mk4 wooden stock has an unusual bedding system. If you recall, with the standard 2-piece stock, the forend is bolted to the barrel with 3 bolts.
With the wooden thumbhole stock, the barrel is bedded into the stock on the centre and rear bolts. I was given the stock by an old chap at our club, without butt plate or bedding bolts, and with the bolts having an unusual (these days) British thread, new bolts took some finding!
Whilst it had an adjustable cheekpiece, it would hardly budge. Not the best design. I was fortunate enough to find a cheekpiece from a 20 Series Anschutz, so had that fitted, together with a block to fit my Gemini butt-plate.
As I wanted to use an Anschutz rear sight, I made a base (with hack-saw and file) to clamp to the side of the action, instead of the normal sight-block. I had an old dovetailed sight-base someone had made, which I fitted to the top of the new base, then after fitting a Barry Nesom tube and turn-over sight I was good to go.

I love shooting this rifle, but it doesn't group as well as my 1607, which I put down to the unusual bedding. I need to see what I can do to improve the grouping, then I would happily use it all the time. Sorry about the picture quality, I will try to get some better ones.

Walter

tenpointnine · Post by **tenpointnine** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:45 pm

Here are a few more pics. Others I have are too big to upload.

Walter

C. Perkins · Post by **C. Perkins** » Sat Nov 10, 2012 6:05 pm

Received a couple packages today.

One was the Slimline front sight inserts.
I installed the largest one, 4.2mm and put a piece of black tape over the original insert cutout to keep the light out.
Will try and get out tomarrow and see how I like it.

Second was from the U.k., an original Parker Hale bipod that slides into my hand stop.
It definitely adds to the cool factor for an old rifle.

Clarence

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BSA Martini International MK II

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