Dedication to Excellence
Our commitment to excellence is made possible through the dedication and loyalty of every member of the BSA Guns family. Our employees believe that quality, service and standards of excellence should never be compromised:


Research & Creativity
Excellence in research and creativity results in exciting and creative new products that meet the changing needs of the consumer.
Quality
Excellence in quality manufacturing practices guarantees products that exceed industry standards.
Customer Service
Excellence in customer service assures loyalty and happy customers.
BSA Since 1861
In a little over hundred years BSA has grown from a small union of gunsmiths to become one of Britain’s important industrial groups. The story is not entirely one of steady progress and expansion there is drama and excitement too. And because BSA has served its country more directly than most private concerns, its story is also part of Britain’s history.
1861
Company formed
1864
First Government military arms contract
Prior to 1905 all work undertaken by BSA was for UK and Foreign Government contracts, no commercial work was undertaken.
1905
Manufacture 1st Lincoln Jeffries air rifle
1906
Contract to make 100,000 rifles for the War Office, (War Office pattern miniature .22)
1907
10,000th Lincoln Jeffries air rifle made
1909
Introduction of BSA’s first commercial sporting & target rifle, a Martini action that continued in production until 1986
1910
Contract to make 60,000 .310 Martini rifles for Australian Government
1911
Production of first mass produced shotgun in .410
1914
Rifle production increased from 135 to 10,000 per week in two years to meet demand of WW1
1915
1st Lewis Gun manufactured
1919
Company restructured into three divisions
1920
Production of 12 bore double barrel shotgun
1933
1st BSA break barrel air rifle, ‘Breakdown Pattern’
1939 – 1945
BSA manufacture over 50% of all small arms used by British forces in WW2
1940
Factory covers 32 acres, bombed 3 times in 3 months destroying 4.5 acres, 53 killed & 89 injured
During WW2 BSA made:
- 568,100 .303 Browning machine guns
- 1,250,000 .303 Lee Enfield rifles
- 60,000 7.92 ‘BESA’ machine guns
1945
Manufacture of 1st Cadet air rifle
1946
Manufacture of Cadet Major air rifle
1948
Manufacture of 1st Airsporter air rifle
1949
Manufacture of 1st Gold Medal winning Martini International .22 target rifle
1950
Awarded Government contract to produce 1st Self Loading Rifle (SLR) in NATO 7.62
1954
Introduction of Hunter sporting rifle
1959
Introduction of the ‘Majestic Range’ of classic sporting air rifles
1959
Introduction of 1st air rifle to have a telescopic sight, the Meteor
1962
Introduction of Meteor Mk2
1962
Introduction of Merlin air rifle
1962
Introduction of Armatic .22 self loading rifle
1962
Introduction of Airsporter Mk2 air rifle
1962
Introduction Snipe single barrel 12 bore shotgun
1963
Introduction of the High Power sporting rifle
1965
Introduction of the Monarch sporting rifle
1972
Introduction of the CF2 range of sporting rifles
1972
Introduction of Mercuary air rifle
1973
Introduction of Scorpion air pistol
1977
Introduction of the Buccaneer air rifle
1980
Introduction of the Mercury S air rifle
1982
Special edition of 1000 Centenary Airsporters to commemorate 100 years since the registration of Piled Arms Trade Mark
1985
Introduction of Challenger air rifle
1985
Introduction of Maxi Grip scope rail
1985
Introduction of Airsporter Stutzen air rifle
1985
Introduction of Shadow and Trooper Carbine air rifles
1985
Gamo Ownership
1986
Production of VS2000 prototype, first repeating air rifle (not produced commercially) but some features latter used in the SuperTEN
1986
BSA Guns liquidated, bought by Gamo and renamed BSA Guns (UK) Ltd
1986
Introduction of Supersport air rifle
1987
Introduction of Meteor Challanger and Airsporter Carbine air rifles
1990
Introduction of Superstar, 1st rotary breech air rifle
1991
Introduction of Goldstar, 1st commercial repeating air rifle
1992
Introduction of Airsporter RB2 rotary breech air rifle
1992
Introduction of shotgun type safety catch on Airsporter RB2 air rifle
1993
Introduction of Meteor Mk6 air rifle
1994
Introduction of .240 Magnum air pistol
1996
Introduction of SuperTEN, 1st BSA pre-charged pneumatic air rifle
1997
Introduction of Supersport Lightning air rifle
1999
Introduction of SuperTEN Mk2 pre-charged pneumatic air rifle
1999
Introduction of Spitfire pre-charged pneumatic air rifle
2001
Introduction of Firebird rotary breech pre-charged pneumatic air rifle
2002
BSA took on the distribution of Gamo products in the UK
2003
Introduction of the Superten Bull Barrel
2003
Introduction of the Hornet
2003
Hornet awarded “Best New Hunting Air Rifle” by Shooting Times
2004
Introduction of the Hornet Multishot
2005
Special edition of 100 Superten and Lightning XL to celebrate 100 years of Airgun manufacture
2005
Introduction of the Scorpion
2005
Introduction of the Ultra
2006
Introduction of the Comet
2007
Introduction of the Scorpion T-10t
2007
Introduction of the Lonestar
2009
R10 Volume Production
2010
New Ultra Launched
2011
150th anniversary
2011
R-10 Mk2
2011
Scorpion SE Launched
2012
Ultra SE launched
2012
BSA First .25 multishot introduced
2012
Spring Gun range updated
2012
Gas Ram Rifles introduced
2012
XL Tactical production returned to Birmingham
2013
Scorpion Cadet ‘3P’ becomes the only official PCP Rifle approved for use by the British Army Cadets
2013
R-10 ‘Woodland’ & ‘Black Editions’ Launched
2013
A Brand New PCP ‘The Buccaneer SE’ is launched for Export Sales
2013
Expansion into New and Historical Export Markets
2013
Major Investment in BSA’s Head Quarters on Armoury Road
2014
Launch of BSA Ultra ‘Colours’ Range
2014
Launch of R-10 Mk in .25 Cal
2016
Introduction of R10SE and Ultra XL PCP’s
2017
BSA receive significant investment to expand barrel production
2018
BSA’s first ever side lever PCP the Defiant Bullpup was launched
2019
Introduction of the R10TH and Silver Star target rifles
2020
Launch of R10TH super carbine version