Its Back...John Bowkett Mini Regd, and tuned Scorpian SE .22

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hi All.

 

My Scorpian SE .22 arrived back home from its trip to the "Gentleman Surgeon, and Genious" Mr John Bowkett.

 

 

The Barrel has been re crowned, and the shoulder has been machined exactly 90 degrees to the bore.

 

The breech entry has been modified to ensure a better pellet feed.

 

The breechblock itself has been fitted with an oversized holding bolt, to make it more secure.

 

The magazine bridging tray is modified, and also the bolt nose.

 

The hammer assembly has been lightened and fitted with a synthetic guide, made as a one off, to exactly fit the hammer sping being used.

 

The hammer travel ( stroke ) is a short 6mm, giving a fast lock time.

 

The hammer tube itself, has been honed.

 

The exhaust valve rear seal is modified, valve seat re-cut and the body is drilled and tapped to accept the oversized breechblock hold down screw.

The valve itself is changed and the body is modified to accept the internal JB regulator which contains no springs.

 

The regulator does not interfere with the workings of the factory pressure guage, which continues to read the main resevoir air pressure.

 

The regulator pressure setting is at a specific level so that any tampering with the hammer spring does not result in an over the top rifle, it just wastes air, and at the end of the fill, as the rifle comes off the reg there is no rise and fall.

Although it gives less useable shots per fill I prefer the veloocity to drop off in a dramatic fashion after 3/5 shots, rather than taper away.

At least then the rifle tells you when it needs refilling without having to look at the guage , which isnt exactly a precision instrument.

 

The regulator is internal and so occupies volume normally used for the main high pressure charge.

I prefer this method , as it does not add length to the rifle and cause problems when silencers are fitted.

On the SE the resulting high pressure air volume is little more than an ultra, as a result.

It will still give a high number of regulated shots depending on fill pressure.

 

The inlet valve body is machined and fitted with a JB fast flow valve which is maintenance free and pump friendly.

 

The trigger sears are all polished and set to finer tolerances than advisable for a factory setting which has to allow for inexperienced shooters, drop tets etc. The trigger itself is bored out and fitted with an oversize pivot pin to remove annoying sideway wobble.

 

Anti-tamper devices are then installed after test shooting.

 

John also says.

 

It must be stressed that the Blueprint and Tune side of this regulator package consists of modifications and improvments OUTSIDE the scope of the normal production methods. The standard factory SE is perfectly fit for purpose and excellent value for money.

This is a custom package, extra and over, anything that could be mass produced.

 

John carries out this specialised work to encourage and promote sales of all BSA PCP rifles.

 

John is very busy with development work aswell, so anyone wanting this service should contact him first of all.

 

The price for the JB Mini Reg Scorpian SE Blueprint / tune is £300.00 +VAT + postage charges.

 

Please look at "John Bowketts Fan Page" on FACEBOOK for more details.

 

Will be out on the range tomorrow with a bit of luck, just hope the weather stays nice.

Going to compare the JBd SE against my mate Richys standard factory one, which is an awsome bit of kit anyway.

 

Hope this has been interesting reading, more to follow soon

 

ATB.

 

 

Bill.

[Phil8282 8]

Chrono string please

 

Sounds good mate, shame its a .22

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Chrono string please

 

Sounds good mate, shame its a .22

 

 

Now listen here lips.... ....theres nowt wrong with .22 ....chrono string and shot count, accuracy, consistancy to follow soon Phill, not had chance yet

 

ATB.

 

 

Bill.

[Baghdadnights 150]

Oy fence boy there's nothing wrong with .22 and you know it

Edited September 22, 2011 by Baghdadnights

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Oy fence boy there's nothing wrong with .22 and you know it

 

 

Thats it you tell him.......bloody Bratt

[Phil8282 8]

 

HAHA Alright calm down ladies! Put your handbags away!

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hi all.

 

Met my mate Rich this morning on his range, lovely morning, hardly a breeze first thing.

Got the kit out of the car and started to get ready for the task ahead.

But.......the smell of the fresh hot pasties was too much to bear, so we had a cup of tea and breakfast

 

Got the SE out of her case, dropped the bipod legs and rested her on the grass, while we got the shooting matts out.

Loaded a few magazines, and went to fill the rifle, only 200 Bar left in my cylender, Richard was the same.

So filled the SE to 200 Bar.

 

Now to it, the first thing I noticed was how the bolt dropped down solidly after loading the mag, brilliant.

When I pushed the bolt forward to load the first pellet into the breech, it was a very smooth and deliberate action, not like it was before, a little friction and tight.

 

Looked through the scope, and placed my finger pad on the trigger blade, took up the first stage, and squeezed off the second stage with very little effort, the trigger is set to perfection ( For me ).

 

First thing Rich said was how quiet the action was when I fired the rifle, its crisp, and sharp, no ring or boing at all.

Indexing the next pellet, realy appreciating the quality of JBs work.

Fired off a few mags without a blip. sheer delight to shoot the rifle.

 

Rich was gagging to shoot her, so I passed her over to him.........reluctantly

He was made up with her, and loved the trigger and indexing.

It was while Rich was shooting the rifle, I got a true appreciation of just how quiet she is.

 

Accuracy wise she is on the money and very consistant, she still likes JSBs too.

 

Time for the chrono only managed 50 shots from a 190 Bar fill, because we were both low on air.

 

Heres how it went over the 50 shot string.....572-572-570-570-570-572-564-564-563-567-567-567-566-566-564-566-567-566-566-566-567-569-567-567-567-569-569-570-570-568-569-565-567-571-570-571-570-573-574-573-572-576-574-580-573-580-576-578-575-578.

 

If my sums are right..... thats an avg MV of 570 FPS = 11.47 FTLBs.

 

When Rich and I get some more air next week, we will compare the two SEs next to each other, My JB Reged, Blueprinted, and tuned one, and his factory standard rifle.

 

All in all, I am delighted with how the rifle is opperating, and shooting.

 

John Bowkett has done an amazing job on it, what a credit he is to BSA Rifles, and his service is second to none, nothing is too much trouble for him, and he is always up for a chat.

You KNOW that he will ALWAYS call you back if he isnt there when you call.

 

Hope you found this interesting........more to follow.

 

 

ATB.

 

 

Bill.

[Phantom 631]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2011 by Phantom

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers Tony................

[zini 1,939]

Sounds brilliant Bill

 

And whats wrong wit .22 Mr Phil .

 

Look forward to seeing how it performs next to a standard SE Bill. I bet its just awesome.

 

Si

[Daz 7 563]

Like the look of the SE for £570 not bad price but another £300 + vat & delivery to make a Rifle up to the standard that it should have been in the first place?.......

Think i'll stick with my Rapid factory Spec Rifle, The only thing non standard on my gun is the Nutshot Mod other than that it's standard.

I think it's about time Manufacture's should pull their finger's out and bring their Quality control up instead of having to tune our guns up to the standard they

should have been to start with .

 

regards Daz

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Sounds brilliant Bill

 

And whats wrong wit .22 Mr Phil .

 

Look forward to seeing how it performs next to a standard SE Bill. I bet its just awesome.

 

Si

 

 

Hiya Si.

 

Cheers buddy, she is absolutly lovely to shoot, the action of the rifle is very quiet, Rich my mate felt the difference straight away of just how nice the firing cycle is, from cocking, indexing,and shot.

Got a bit of a spike in the FPS readings, but will give her a few more pellets, and chrono again.

 

So far I am very pleased with her mate.

 

ATB.

 

 

Bill.

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Like the look of the SE for £570 not bad price but another £300 + vat & delivery to make a Rifle up to the standard that it should have been in the first place?.......

Think i'll stick with my Rapid factory Spec Rifle, The only thing non standard on my gun is the Nutshot Mod other than that it's standard.

I think it's about time Manufacture's should pull their finger's out and bring their Quality control up instead of having to tune our guns up to the standard they

should have been to start with .

 

regards Daz

 

 

 

Hi Daz.

 

I could not agree more with you mate, factory produced rifles could do with more quality control in some cases and models.

So too could the producers of pellets.

Having said that, most mass produced rifles are fine, and do the owners proud.

 

There is nothing more John Bowkett would love, than for all BSA rifles to be built to the origanal specification of the designer.

By the time the production team have finnished with the design, the rifle could, and will loose some of the origanal spec, to save on time and money, plus material costs etc.

 

What john does to a rifle is personal, you have the man himself, hands on, machining parts, and tweaking your rifle, way and beyond what a factory enviourment could hope to do.

You are getting close to the realms of a hand made rifle, with the amount of work John has done to my rifle, and others along the way.

 

My friend and I have compared my JBd SE to his factory standard rifle, and although the standard rifle is brilliant, you can tell straight away the difference between the two.

 

My mates SE is still on the money and a very capable rifle.

 

On a personal note, I have always been a tinkerer no matter what sport or activity I take part in, I always strive to get the best from what ever kit I am using.

 

For me, its part of the enjoyment of the sport I have chosen to do.

 

Even cars, years ago, two stage heads, DC40s, high lift cams, full race pistons, lightened balanced propshafts and fly wheels, body panels blah blah blah........none of that was nesscessary, or made me a better driver, but the ride was hellish

 

Was it all worth it............I think so, but Im a maze bugger anyway

 

 

ATB.

 

 

 

Bill.

[Daz 7 563]

Nice one Bill,

 

If your a Tinkerer fair on you Bud, Me i know nowt about internals of Rifles let the Gremlins deal with that i just shoot them , But i wish BSA had stuck to J. Bowkett's Original Spec's,

Me for one would rather pay say £700 for the completed rifle from BSA with all the Spec of JB and then wouldn't feel cheated.

 

regards Daz

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Nice one Bill,

 

If your a Tinkerer fair on you Bud, Me i know nowt about internals of Rifles let the Gremlins deal with that i just shoot them , But i wish BSA had stuck to J. Bowkett's Original Spec's,

Me for one would rather pay say £700 for the completed rifle from BSA with all the Spec of JB and then wouldn't feel cheated.

 

regards Daz

 

 

Hi Daz.

 

I know bugger all either mate, thats why I asked John Bowkett to do the work :laugh:

 

My thoughts are the same as yours, and I susspect many others buddy, I would rather save up and pay more for a propper spec rifle too.

 

John Bowkett would appreciate his designs being respected and used to the letter too

 

 

ATB.

 

 

Bill.