< Previousplace the Sten, but was eclipsed by the Patchett and then the Sterling. BSA also made folding Bren Gun tripods, required immediately after the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. The order for "fifty within a week," together with the production drawings, was received on June 7th; 57 tripods were complete<!, inspected and deliv- ered on the 12th . . . · _ The end of the war brought BSA great problems. The company employed 28,500 people in nearly 70 factories, ranging from major pl~nts in Small Heath, Tyseley and Shirley to commandeered fishing-tackle makers ~n Redditch and carpet manufacturers in Mansfield. Restoring these to peacetime footing meant releasing thousands of workers from their wartime purgatory .. There was no need of small arms in the quantities BSA had been making, and an ex- isting contract for No. 5 Mk 1 jungle carbines was cancelled before completion. BSA retained a skilled design team, but fought unsuccessfully to gain Brit- ish Army contracts in competition with European and American manufacturers. Despite its good fea- tures, the Model 194.9 sub-machine gun lost out to the Sterling; _the, 28P autoloading rifle proved no match for the Belgian FN F AL; and the X16 belt-fed machine gun, derived by Vesely from the Bren Gun, failed to overcome the MAG. Though BSA made the LlAl (the British version ofthe FAL) in the Shirley factory intb the 1960s, its military significance soon declined. Resources were successfully concentrated on airguns, Martini block-action target rifles and a series of bolt action or autoloading center- and rim- fire rifles such as the Century, the Majestic, the Monarch and the Supersport Five. If the early 1940s could be said to represent the apogee of BSA's success, so the late 1960s and early 1970s were the perigee. The failure of the British motorcycle industry to compete with the flood ofltal- ian and Japanese imports soon led to the demise of • BSA Cycles Ltd, and the remaining components of the group became to suffer as well. Despite desultory attempts at salvation, BSA col- lapsed in 1973 and what remained of its assets was acquired by Manganese Bronze Holdings Ltd. BSA Guns Ltd was reorganized as a separate trading component of the parent group-albeit a shadow of its former self-and attempted to rebuild its oper- ations. Immediately, the results of poor capital in- vestment during the previous 20 years became ap- parent: the existing air and cartridge rifles were not 01ily 'obsolescent, but also produced by machinery nearing the end of its life. The Small Heath plant was becoming increasingly decrepit, but the worst of the 1970s passed, helped by new airguns and effi- cient new sporting rifles, and a radical redevelop- ment of Small Heath was completed in 1983. IfY(OU have a modern BSA sporter, you own a wor: When the BSA "Piled Arms" centenary was celebrated in 1980-81-it depends whether the application or the grant of the mark is accepted-the company made 1 ,000 specially- marked Centenary Rifles, derived from the Airsporter, for sale to enthusiasts. lt seems a shame that a special version of the CF2 sporting rifle was not offered as well, but the airgun is un- deniably a handsome piece. (Courtesy of BSA Guns Ltd.) thy descendant of more than a century of British firearms history-tracing its line through almost ev- ery mfijor rifle used by the British Army since the Crimean War. Acknowledgements I would like to thank the staff of Birmingham Central Refer- ence Library; Herb Woodend, Custodian ofthe Pattern Room col- lection, Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield; lan Hogg; John Knibbs; Weller & Dufty Ltd, who auctioned BSA's gun collection in 1971; the directors and staff of BSA Guns Ltd; and the many collectors ofBSA air and cartridge rifles who assisted in the prep- aration of this article. Though lack of space prevents publication of sources of information, I am particularly indebted to books written by Ian Skennerton in the case of the Snider and the Lee- Enfield rifles; B.A. Temple and Ian Skennerton in the case of the Martini, and Tom Nelson in the case of the sub-machine guns. Collectors interesting in joining a society devoted to BSA and its place in British firearms history are requested to contact me via DBI Books or direct at The Lyon Press, West Hea.th Works, 174 Mill Lane, London NW6 1TB, England. GUN COLLECTOR'S DIGEST 45 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKBSA Military Firearms Produetion: A Collectors' Guide The table below presents a list of the guns known to have been made by the Birmingham Sroall Arms Company Limited, and its successors, the Birmingh;:~m Small Arms & Metal Company Limited and BSA Guns Limited, from 1861 to the present day. An indication of production quan- tities and 'collectable desirability' is also attempted where possible. However, the list is really little more than a draft containing many approxi- , mations, and further information about any of the guns on the list (particularly details of markings) is welcomed. Enfleld-type (P/56) Short Rifles for Turkey, 0.577 .. . . . .. ... . . ... . .. .. .. ........ . ....... . .. . ........ .. ... . ... . .. . . : . . 20,000; rare Sapper Carbines, smoothbore, 0.577 ..... . .... . .... . ........ . .. . .. . . .. .......... .. : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,000; rare Pistol, smoothbore, 0.577 (?) ...... . .... , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,300; very rare Snider Rifle corwerted from P/53 rifle-muskets, Mks 1 and 1* breech, 0.577, ~ 866-8 ..... . . ..... . ......... ..... . .. .. 156,000; common Snider Rifles P/53, new, Marks 1*, 2*, 2** and 3 breech, 0.577, 1867-77 .... . ............... .... .... 92,675 +maybe 40,000; common Snider Short Rifles P/60 ana P/61, Mks 2** and 3 breech, 0.577, 1867-79 . ... . .... . ..... .. ....... ..... . . .... ..... ... . 33,935; scarce Snider Artillery Carbine P/61, Mks 2** and 3 breech, 0.577, 1867-76 ..... ..... . .. .... . .......... . .. ... ...... .... .... . 14,990; scarce Snider Cavalry Carbine P/61, Mks 2** and 3 breech, 0.577, 1867-79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . 14,263; scarce Snider Rifle, 2-Band,lndia Service, 1875,0.577 ...... .' .. ............ . . .. ................ .. .. ~ ... . : ............. . 1,800; very rare Snider actions for France, 1871 ......... . ..... .. .. . .. ...... .. . ,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . about 21 ,400 Snider actions for Egypt, 1874 ........... . . : .... .. .. .......... . .. . .................... .. ....................... ........ 12,000 Sniders, various 'Trade' and Volunteer patterns, 0.577 . . . .......... .... ..... . .. .. . . . .. ... . . . . . ..... . . . .. . . ....... unknown; scarce Whltworth rifles, 0.450 ... . ..... ..... . ... . .. . . ... .. ... . .... . . . ........... . ........... . ... .. ........ .. . . . several thousand; rare Cooper trials rifle, 0.577, 1866 ..... . ...... ..... . ......... .. .... . .. . .. . ... . .. .... ... . . ...... ... .... . very few; one survivor known Gray trials rifle, 0.577 and 14.5mm, 1866-8 ... .. ... ... . .. ... .. .... : . . . . . . . . . prototypes, and 20 trial rifles for Italy; one survivor known Prlngle trials rifle, 0.577, 1866-7 .......... .- . .. .. .... . .... . .. . .. .. .... . .... .. ............. probably less than a dozen; none known Laldley trials -rifle, 0.577, 1866-7 . . ... . . ...... ....... .. . . ... . .. . . .... .......... .. .... probably less than a dozen made; none known Carter-Edwards trials rifle, 0.577, 1868 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 made; very rare Soper rifle, 0.450 (?), 1869 .. . ... . .. ......... . ... . . ...... . ... ...... one or two guns made in the toolroom; no BSA-made guns known Henry dropping-block rifle, caliber unknown (0.450?), 1869 . . . ........... .... 6 (some sources say 1 00) made in the toolroom; very rare Berdan rifle, 11 mm . ....... . ... . .... ........ . . . . . ....... ..... . . . . . .. .. . .... one prototype made for French trials, 1869; in France? Berdan, Russian, 0.42 .... .. . .............. . ... . ... . ..... . .. . ........ . . . ...... . ..... three prototypes, 1870; may still be in Russia Berdan, Russian, 0.42 . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 guns (two patterns, 50 each) for troop trials, 1870; no survivors known Berdan, Russian Cossack model with ball trigger, 0.42 ..... . ......... 558 supplied in 1870, probably from the main run (below); very rare Berdan, Russian, production model, 0.42, 1870·2 ............... .. ..... . , .. . .............. . . ............. . 30,000; rare in the West Martini-Henry Rifle Mark 1, 0.450, 1871·7 ........ . . . ....... . .... . ... .. ............. 81,125 + perhaps 18,000; reasonably common Martini-Henry Rifle Mk 2, 0.450, 1877·80 .... . ......................... . .. . .......... .... .. .......... 66,316; reasonably common Martini-Henry Rifle Mk 3, 0.450, 1879·97 . . .. ..... . .... . .. ... . . ............ . ....... ... . : .. 23,345, mostly for colonial service; scarce Martini-Henry Rifle Mk 6, 0.303 (later known as 'Martini-Metford Rifle Mk 2'), 1889·90 ................ . .. . ........ . .. . .. . .. 9,600; rare Martini-Henry Cavalry Carbine Mk 1 (trade pattern), 0.450, 1889 .. . ..... .... ... .. ................ · .. .................... 2,050; rare Martini-Henry Artillery Carbine Mks 1, 2 and 3, 0.450, 1893·5 .............. . .. . ............ 1,741, mostly for colonial service; very rare Enfield Martini rifle, 0.402, 1886 . .................... .... .......... ....... 200,000 ordered, but then cancelled; no BSA guns known Martlni-Metford Rifle Mk 1, 0.303, 1894 .. . ... . ... . .............. . ... . . .. ... . ... . ....... .. . 700 for colonial service; all but unknown Martini· etford Rifle Mk 2, 0.303-see Martini-Henry Mk 6 Martini·Metford Cavalry-Carbine Mk1, 0.303, 1893 .......................................... · .... ............ . .. . .. . .... 7,500; rare Martini·Metford Artillery Carbine Mk 3, 0.303, 1895 .... . ........ . ............... .. ........ . . . . .. ... ............. . . .... 6,000; rare Remlngton Rifles, ex-US, refurbished for Egypt in 1879, 11 mm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,0.00; quite scarce Lee-Metford Marks 1 and 1*, 0.303, 1890·4 ......... . .... . ... . .. ... 62,500 plus several thousand for export; most were later converted Lee-Metford Mark 2, 0.303, 1894·7 .. .. . . ............. . .. ... . .... .. . . ... . . . ... ' ' .. . ..... . . ... .r ... 73,100; most were later converted Lee-Enfleld Mark 1, 0.303, 1895·1900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 64,300; most were later converted Lee-Enfield Mark 1*, 0.303, 1899·1903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192,000; many were later converted Charger Loading Lee-Metford Mk 2, 0.303 Charger Loading Lee-Enfield Mk 1, 0.303, 1908·10 and 1913 .. ... .. ..... .. . . c.120,000 converted from existing guns; relatively common Charger Loading Lee-Enfield Mk 1*, 0.303 Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk 1, 0.303, 1903·8 ... ..... ... ·. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150,000; reasonably common Short Magazine Lee·Enfield Mark 3 and 3*, 0.303, 1907·18 and 1936·43 .... .... . ....... .. ..... at least two million made; very common Short Rifle Mark 3, 0.22 (altered from Converted SMLE Mks 2 and 2*), 1912·14 ...... . .... . . . . .. . ....... ... .... about 5,0001; very rare Short Rifle Mark 4, 0.22 (ex-Converted SMLE Mks 3, 3* and 4, or newly made), 1921·3 ...... ... . . ............... .. total unknown; rare Rifle No.4 Mark 1, 0.303, 1941·5 . . .......... . ................. . . ... .. .... ...... ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . about 665,0002; common Rifle No.5 Mark 1, 0.303, 1944·5 ..... . . .... .. ............ . ... ......... . .... ..... ... . . ...... ... .. . .... . . ... . ... . . 81,3292 ; scarce Rifle No.5 Mark 2, 0.303, 1945 .... . ... . . . ... ....... . ... .. . . .............. . . . .. ......... ...... .. . ..... prototypes only2; very rare Rifle No.5, 0.22, trials, 1945 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 032; very rare Rifle No. 7 Mark 1, 0.22 (RAF), 1948 ............. . . . .. ....... . . . . ... . . . . . . .. . ... . . . .. ' . . ... . ....... ..... ..... . .. . ... 2,5002: rare Rifle No.9 Mark 1, 0.22, 1949·50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . about 2,0003 ; rare 46 GUN COLLECTOR'S DIGEST WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKBSA air-rifle, Military Pattern (long), 0 .177, 1908-14 ................................... .. . .. ..... ..... .. . ... perhaps 300; very rare BSA air-rifle, Military Pattern (short), 0.177, 1908~ 14 .. . . ......... .... .. ... .. ................................... no survivors known BSA air-rifle, sub-caliber artillery trainer device, 0.177, 1908-14- . ... . . . ... . .. .. .... .... :. . . . . . . . . . . 50?-at least four known survivors War Office Miniature Rifle (trainer), 1908-14, 0.22in . ..... . ... .. .... .... . .. .... ... .. ..... . .... . . ....... ... many thousands; scarce Adams automatic rifle , 1920-7,0.303 .... .... ... . . .... . ... ... .... . .. . . .. .. . .. .......... . ... . . prototypes only; at leas.t one survives BSA machine-gun, 0.50, 1924-8 ... . ..... . ............... . ...... . . . : . ..... ....... ..... .. .. . ... . probably three made; one survives Thompson automatic rifle, 1920s, 0.303 .. .. .. ... . .......•...... ... ... . . .. ... ... . . .. . . .. at least eight made; three· known survivors Thompson machine carbines, 1926-30 .... ... .. ................... ........ . . . ... . . · . . . : . ... .......... at least ten made ; ultra rare Norman inclined bolt rifle, 1920s, 0.303 and 7mm Eley Special ....... ..... -.... .. ........... ..... : prototypes only; at least two survive Mauser-type military rifle , late 1920s (?), 0.303 Magnum and 7mm Eley Special . .. .... ..... at least eight made; tWo are known to survive India Police carbines, 1920s, Martini or BSA dropping-block action .. .. .... . ...... . . ..... ' ....... . ... ....... production unknown; rare Klraly machine-gun, 0.303 ... . .... . . . .... .. .. . ..... : ..... . ....... . . ... .... . ...... possibly a few made for trials, 1934; none known Klraly submachine-gun, 9mm (?) . . . . ... ·. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . prototypes only; none known Boys anti-tank rifle, 13.2mm Short (13.3mm Hotchkiss), 1936 . ........... . . . .. . ............ . ..... prototypes only; no known survivors Boys anti-tank rifles Mk 1, 1*, 2, 0.55, 1936-43 ........................... ... ........... : .. .... . ; . 69,000; scarce in view of quantity Browning machine guns, 0.303, various Marks, 1937-45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468,098 plus 1 00,000 sets of parts; common Janacek experimental rifles, 1938-9, various calibers ... ...... ....... . ... ............. . ... ... . .. .... prototypes only; several survive Bren Guns Mks 1-4, 0.303, 1938-45 . . . ...... : .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. . . . .. . parts only; 57 folding tripods made, 1944 Lewls aircraft guns, various types, converted to ground guns, 0.303, 1938-39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,000; rarely seen Hlspano aircraft cannon, 20mm, 1939-45 . ....... ... . · .. ... ... . .... ......... · .... .. ....... ...... · ... 42,532; uncommon in collections Oerllkon aircraft cannon, 20mm, 1939-45, ........... ... . . .... . ................. ............ about:33,000; uncommon in collections Lanchester submachine-guns, 9mm, 1940 . ..... ... .. . ......... .. .... .... .. ....... .. .. .. . .......... . . ... ..... ... . . . barrels only Winchester M1895 rifles, 0.30, refurbished 1 940-~ . . .. . ..... ... .. . . .. .. ....... ..... · ............. . ....... ... ... .... . .. .. 138,000 Sten Guns Mks 1, 2, 3 and 5, 9mm, 1941-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404,383, plus 350,000 extra barrels; common Hefah machine-gun, 0.303, 1941-3 .. . .... . .... ............ : ... . . .. . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . barrels only Besa machine-guns Mks 1, 2, 2*, 3 and 3*, 7.9mm, 1938-45 ... .. .. . . ...... .... ..... . .... . ................. .. 59,322; quite common Besa machine-gun Mk 1, 15mm, 1939-44 .... . ........ . ... ... ........ . .... : .......... ... . ... .. .. . ................. . . 3,218 ; scarce Besa machine-gun, experimental, 20mm, 1942? .. . . . . .. .... ... ... . ........ .... ... . .. . ....... . . prototypes only; no known survivors Besal machine-gun, 0.303, 1942-3 ..... . ...... ..... . . .. ... . . . ..... .. ...... prototypes and possibly 100 pre-produclion guns; very rare Lekon aircraft cannon, 20mm, 1942 .. . ... . .... . . .......... .. ... . ... . ..... . . .. ....... . . . . ... ........ prototypes only; one survives Polsten aircraft cannon , 20mm , 1943-4 ...... . .. .... . ... ..... . . .. ........ ... ... . ....... . ...... .. ... . . .............. barrels only Lewls machine-guns for land and air service (various Marks), 0.303, 1913-18 : . .... ..... .. .- .... .. .......... . · . ..... 145,3974 ; common Vesely V-42 and V-43 submachine-guns, 9mm, 1942-3 ............ . ............................ several hundred; at least six survive SOE 'Welrod' silenced pistol, 0.32, 1943 .. ... ...... . ... . .. . .. ....... ... . . . .. .•.. .. .. .. ... ... . ..... ..... .... several hundred; rare SOE 'Welgun' submachine-gun, 9mm, 1943 .................................. ...... ....... . .... ... .. ........ . unknown; very rare Model 49 submachine-gun and prototypes, 9mm, 1944-50 .. . .. . ... . . . ..... • : ...... several hundred made; rare (but high survival rate) 28P automatic rifle, 0.280, 1950 . .. . . .. ... ..... . . . . ... ... . ....... . ................ .. . .. .. . ... . . about a dozen made ; three survive X16 machine-gun (X16E1 to X16E4), early 1950s ...................... ... . ........... . ............... .. prototypes only; very rare Tank machine-gun , 0.30, 1950s . ..... ... .. .. . . . .... .. ...... . ..... . .. .. . .. : .... •. ............ .. . ... prototypes; one survivor known Rifle L 1A 1 (British version of FN FAL), 7.62mm, 1955-60s2 ••• ••••••• ••••• • ••••• •••••••• •• production unknown; rare, as still in service Rifle L 1 A 1, BSA 0.22 conversion No.3, 1959-60 . ........ .... . . ............ .... . ................. ' . .... prototypes only; one survivor Noes: 1. A total of 8,432 were made by BSA and LSA. 2. Made in the Shirley factory. 3. These guns were made at Shirley; a small batch was made for the New Zealand government in the early 1950s, with 'DA' serial number prefixes. These are extremely rare indeed. , , 4. Small quantities of these guns were supplied to Belgium, while others went to Russia. The British services are believed to have taken about 112,000. I I I GUN COLLECTOR'S DIGEST 47 WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKNext >