BSA – History & Ethos
BSA – History & Ethos
BSA – History & Ethos
BSA – History & Ethos
BSA – History & Ethos
BSA – History & Ethos
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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

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