Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles How many here have and use a BSA model D or E rifle?

This is one of 2 I've had and a model E. I still have this one and will likely keep it until I die. Its built off of a m1917 and fully sporterized by a company in England by the name of Birmingham small arms (BSA) company. They only built these for a few years. From 1949-1951 I believe. The reason I ask is because I had it out the other day, switching scopes and I took a picture of it. I don't use it much, but it's one of my favorite rifles:


It is very similar to my pre 64 model 70 rifles. The dang thing looks like it even has a pre 64 barrel on it. A front sight hood from a pre 64 fits on this thing, as you can see in the picture. It still has the cock on close feature, but I installed a Timney trigger. My other m1917 has been converted to cock on open. Either way works, so I don't think I have a preference. This one has been re-chambered to 308 Norma magnum:




As you can see, it has a funky left handed stock on it. Because I shoot left handed. It works great for me. I took the original stock off and installed it on a P14 for one of my buddies. He had always wanted a P14 for some reason, so I surprised him with it on his birthday:


Share your BSA model D's and E's with me. Thanks..

A lot of the modern rifles shoot fantastic but look like junk compared to rifles like those.

Thanks 1911. The one I wish I wouldn't have foolishly sold was my model D. Made in '51. It was a sweetheart. Really reminded me of my pre 64 model 70's, but shot better. It was so scary accurate that I remember shooting 1 5 shot group in the offhand position that measured 1.057". That was with old turned 180gr Nosler partitions. I grabbed the target, grabbed my rifle, went home and continued to have a damn good day.

The action of this model D was slicker than any pre 64 model 70 I've had, as are my other m1917's. They have been my prime hunting rifles since I was 12. I like rifles with slick actions and ones that function properly 100% of the time. That is why these are some of my favorites. One of these days, I'll work on some better loads for that 308 Norma magnum. It is a sweet cartridge.

Hey, quick question not related to this thread. Did you ever find a beater H&H receiver to put your 300H&H barrel on? Not that I found one, and you know I'm not giving mine up. Just wondering.. I don't run across H&H receivers very often. If someone knows what they have, it's usually a $1,000 bill..

Not quite a BSA, but I did recently snag my first 1917...a sporterized one from 1918 with Lyman rear peep.

Very cool Jason. I like it!!! Looks like a Bishop stock. Those were very popular back in the day. So, it's not drilled and tapped for scope use? How does she shoot with open sights? When my smith rechambered my BSA to 308 Norma, he shot it open sights at 75 yards. Said he put 3 shots into 3/4" and that was pretty dang good as far as he was concerned. I said, heck yeah that will work!! Thanks for sharing your rifle. It reminds me of my first one, that I got when I was 12 years old. Mine had a heavy barrel though and weighed 12 pounds. I'm sure yours is much lighter. Your rifle probably holds 6 in the magazine box? Military trigger?

I've actually never shot it, just picked it up a couple weeks ago. It still has the stock military trigger, but not sure about the mag capacity.

I also picked this one up last week...its had the rear sight "ears" removed, as well as the front sight, and was drilled & tapped for a side mount.

That is kind of an interesting rifle. Doesn't look like the original military barrel. Was someone trying to make a "sniper" out of it? You should shoot your sporter and let us know how it shoots. It may surprise you.

No, its the original barrel. Not sure why they pulled the front sight, though...

Here ya go...

Yes I have 2. Both have been worked over. I purchased the 30-06 slathered with a thick layer of grease. Cleaned it up and hunted it

that way for a few years. Hacksawed the ears off and had it drilled & tapped for a scope. Hunted it like that until I put a walnut stock on it.

I have killed a pile of meat with it. The other is a 243 built by my step father as a Prairie Goat rifle.

I traded into another in 308 Norma. Hunted it some but it went down the road also. All of my 1917's have been good shooters.

Sounds like m1917's, not BSA's. The nice thing about BSA is they did all the work and turned out a great product. They only did it for 3 years with the m1917 and P14 actions though. Finding them is hard to do sometimes. I've had 2 and regret getting rid of my first one.

Pardon my belated reply to this Thread I find very interesting. Thanks BSA and kudos for your ever great Threads/Posts! Those fine BSA editions of the Model 1917 are indeed beauties! Such conversions a special place in my interests and heart!

I first took note of the Model 1917 as a teen in latter fifties... Ancient history for me by now and before the birth of many readers here! Milsurps as cheap and great rifles. One of my first acquisitions from that era, a Remington '17 econo-sporterized by Golden State Arms with barrel restamped "Santa Fe Model 1945:. Typical econo of original stock cut down, adding contrasting forend wood and recoil pad. Action bridge trimmed & recontoured, Bottom metal with original step as found typically where original mil-stocks retained. Otherwise, metal as others here with commercial barrel sights installed. That's it! For me as penny conscious youth, a great rifle. Yet the feeling as it with me today in "for the fifty bucks or so" investment. So over the decades until the milsurp restoration era, these various mauser, Springfields, Enfields of different flavours; all to become an entire genre of practical shooters!

The group in this Thread amply demonstrating the extent to which sporterization in whatever context, to capitalize on great, practical battle proven rifles. These big rugged Enfields if not lightweights, proving themselves ultra durable over decades. If I sound the 'real fan, I am. In those seventies & eighties eras as new and economical rifles intro'd into the market at hyper speed, these milsurps took a value dive. To my mind undeserved and myself to become a "home for wayward milsurp sporters". Hundred to One Fifty dollars acquisiton, the sweet spot. Most of my '17 models, the more amateurish and not as nice as the commercial quality of most in this Thread. But still quite decent and for the price... No complaints.

About this same time as somewhat superseding my '17 urge, noting the Remington Model 30, commercial successor to the '17 was also often available at quite decent prices. "Not a Winchester", the explanation as the Model 30 definitely an 'also ran'. Initially competing with the trimmer Winchester Model 54 from mid Twenties, such with it's "clean sheet" design not encumbered by the Model 30 heritage, the Remington taking something of an initial marketing hit. Latter thirties as the Model 70 intro'd, worse hit. But Remington simply not pursuing reasonable marketing efforts. Why, unknown. But largely accounting for the "also ran" image extending decades later. Back to my point that often a decent commercial Model 30 could be had for about the asking price for a custom Model '17. In other words, the 30 as cheap! I also 'accumulated' some of these. The functional comparison with the '17 obviously very similar. From latter twenties era, cock on opening replaced the Model 17 "...on closing" style and of course the 30 birth without the bridge "ears". Thus much of the metal customization required of the model '17 conversions, as "factory" for the Model 30. Otherwise, metal aesthetics of the Model 30 as some clicks upward as mass production facilitating what otherwise unnecessary on the '17 sporter iterations. "Gilding the Lily."

I now sit with a number of both '17 conversions and Models 30. The best of the conversions as "custom" outdoes the production 30. The 'average' conversion to be seen as more often 'home brew' generally falls short of "factory". Also of course, the proliferation of factory chamberings of the Model 30, more diversity but marginally as many '17 conversions into mag realm!
My net, net here... Collector aspect of course even as "also ran" the Model 30 has its following as in myself. But the great Model '17 conversions do literally have their place in not just the field but also in collections as some pretty durn nice rifles reflecting their own era where milsurp conversions ruled an entire spectrum of consumers! Thus our Thread host, BSA's rifles presented!

Thanks for that kind BSA Model '17 Thread iterations here for themselves as a species and as sparking some nice 'other' conversions; all eye candy for such as me. The Model '14 & '17 pattern action deserve some special attention and accord for what they are as a significant mauser pattern at heart, yet significantly different design. The Springfield '03 genre too for their 'real steel and wood' milsurp rifle contributions! The '03 may hae been considered more deluxe and worthy conversion to sporter, but I'll take the '17 thank you very much!

Just my take!
Best!
Johjn

Thanks for your post John. It's always fun reading your point of view on things and much appreciated. You did leave one rifle out in your list though, as I am quite surprised. There could also be an essay written on such a rifle. The Remington 720. I'm sure that one probably slipped your mind, as I know you know the history and origin of that rifle. In fact, there is one listed on gunsinternational right now. That is a rare thing for sure. Even though it is not a BSA (Birmingham small Arms) rifle, it is one that was built off of the infamous m1917, but only for a short period of time and discontinued due to the war. Made from 1941 to 1944. The one I would love to get my hands on are the ones purchased in 1942 by the US Navy and given out to winners of such marine and navy shooting competitions. Here's one in fact and talk about a beauty:
Remington 720

When people say the Remington 700 was Remington's best made rifle, I always have to argue..

Freeking sweet rifle man. Thanks for sharing. That appears to be a model E because of the deluxe stock and checkering. Built off of the P14, like the one I gave to my buddy.. Thanks for sharing. Looks like a shooter. I'd expect nothing less from a good BSA rifle.

Yes, it's an E. One of the most satisfying gun show finds I've ever had because I didn't know they existed. I had always wanted a .303 British hunting rifle that wasn't just a sporterized military rifle and this one fell into my hands. Of course a year later Ruger made the No. 1 in .303 so I had to have one of those too...

Great find and that one looks like it shoots well. You got lucky when finding that one. For the longest time I always searched out m1917's at gunshops and gunshows. It seemed like every used gunrack had them and they were cheap. The only problem was most of them were really bubba'd. Ears were not ground off properly and sometimes not drilled and tapped well. One thing you get with the BSA rifles is they are machined very well, nice drilled and tapped holes for scope mounting, great barrels that were most times extremely accurate. You got the nice bolt handle like your rifle has on the models made after about 1951. The first ones were not quite as nice and used the dog leg bent handles. I was also incorrect on the years made. I typed that in wrong in my OP. It should have been 1949-1953. The model D I had was extremely accurate and was made in '51. I remember the day I sold that rifle, the guy told me he had been looking for a model D for a long time and he was very happy to find that one. I didn't realize that until I started looking for another one. Luckily I found the model E. I'm hanging on to that one buddy. Turned it into a 308 Norma. I always said if I found a good 308 Norma I would sell everything else. I'm not to that point yet, but may be some day..

Hey, Hey BSA... How you all doin today! Returning the thanks with my own as ever appreciation for your Threads & Posts!

I have 3 Model 720 Remingtons. Didn't mention as perhaps getting too far afield. But now that you've happily relieved me of such guilt... Some comments. All several of mine are commercial, no Navy vets among them! None "original" as each D&T + stock modifications. Nothing terrible but non-collectors. Of these, my lowest SN is 40500 from 1940 according to barrel date code and my highest is as I recall 1942. Bought two at once for $300 each and the third for $350. No better but seller shop with courtesy of contacting & holding for me as the third of three came in. That was early nineties decade!

The necessary aside that I had a 'destructo' laptop failure in early May and only within the last week a replacement & not yet time for techie son to pull the SSD from the dead one & transfer data inclusive of my guns photo files & XL spreadsheet info.
That said, I did find a recent Remington Society Thread with great 720 pix and it notably in rare .270 Winchester. All three of mine in mundane '06 and only other of three factory chamberings offered, ultra rare 257 Roberts. https://www.remingtonsociety.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=53788

The 720 "improvement" more admen-speak than reality. The bolt handle reconfig from "dog leg" as as perhaps most visible difference. The bolt release was an improvement and in 'rocker' fashion, activated by pushing inward on the aft of the unit versus pulling out on the fore part. Same effect achieved. The disaster in my mind, bottom metal. Alloy and subject to the common scratches as ultra ugly and without easy remediation as such occurring. Many other rifles the same problem. Remington perhaps the first with such potential malady. Then too, the screw fastener for the floorplate in lieu of the Model 30 push button common to most mauser pattern military rifles. Cheap and what were the Model 720 designers thinking...?
I give the 720 a few clicks for the 'maybe aesthetic bolt handle and a definite plus for the ergonomically convenient bolt release; as a big minus for bottom metal. The stocks were some clicks improved in patterns available but nothing special.

The 720 big failure in "competition". The Win Model 70 had intro'ed some material advantages to the Model 30 in modernizaton and expanded use of Winchester Proof Steel, aka 4140 alloy from barrel as intro'ed on late Models 54 to the receiver and bolt assemblies now of such superior metal! The 70 package stole the field of "new & improved" from Remington and the Model 720 was more a "smoke & mirrors" improvement. I appreciate the Model 30 and 720 in context of "era rifles" just as I appreciate the factually outdated Win Models 94 and 1886. For what they were and the nifty fun they remain.

A postscript in wider context. Rem & Win marketing philosophies differed considerably and that reflected in their products. Rem seemed to live in fear of internal competition. Such of the Model 30 competing with their high power pump and semi-auto rifles of the era. Win seemed quite content to market their levers and from 1925 intro of the Model 54, it with equal vigour as 'different strokes for different folks. The Model 30 is a great, strong rifle never really achieving its market potential over its 19 year lifespan. The Model 54 alone in its 11 year lifespan sold over twice as many rifles! The total of Model 30 in less than 24 thousand and Model 54 in over 50 thousand. Yet more! The Model 30 action size was a natural for the long H&H Magnum cartridges, yet never exploited. The Winchester 70 was an improvement of the Model 54 yet retained basic action size and such not contemplating H&H length, but adapting the action to such! "Point set" for Winchester in such marketing dimension.

So... Here's to the Model 30 for its virtues as big rugged "military fashion over-built". Moreover offering all sorts of fun and creativity in "sporterizing"!

Opinions & pontifications here... Just my take!
Best!
John

A postscript here with Kudos to jason280 for his military-esque interesting '17 variation. Reminiscent of the Remington Model 1934 Military for, I believe Venesuela (?), in 7mm and full military trim. A truly nifty rifle and one I'd love to have if still collecting! Thanks for posting!

Great informative post John. Thanks for sharing!!

This Thread addictive as a difficult time letting go. Real fan of the Model '17 and its heirs, Rem Models 30 and 720.
I've found a backup copy of my guns XL & pix. Below the best of mymotley crew, several 720 rifles. This one doesn't have the barrel date code. My other two that do reflect Dec. 41 and Feb 42 in reverse to ascending serialization! Note the nifty bolt release as mentioned above. Pressing on the aft portion hinges the forepart outward. Also mentioned, the cruddy cheap screw fastener for the alloy floorplate! What were they thinking?
Ah well, ringing about a much mileage out of this Thread as readers likely to tolerate!
Best!
John