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We were out shooting with a friend yesterday, the Viking was rattling off shots in the name of competition with some new fangled thing, meanwhile we shot proper rifles.

Top to bottom:
Vickers Empire model .22
Vickers Standard target MkIII .22
BSA Model 12 .22
BSA Centurion .22

All four of them are very capable shooters with the Centurion and MkIII probably the best of the two (Just)

They are shot as intended, off elbows or standing unsupported at 54 and 100 yards and I genuinely cannot think of a finer way to spend a Friday afternoon.

...and it wasn't raining

It makes you cry when you think how many of these rifles were scrapped 20-30 years ago when there seemed to be a step change in society. Every town had at least one smallbore club and competition results often reported in the local press. .......... Hey-ho, balmy days of yore.

They are all beautiful rifles that deserve a spot in anybodies gunsafe.

"They're old, so they must have worn barrels" did somebody say? Not a chance. They probably all shoot exactly the way they did when they left the factory.

Les, the top and bottom rifles belong to a friend and the middle two are mine. We also both own and shoot BSA Internationals and he has a BSA 12/15 as well as his Centurion. Arguably the prettiest of the rifles, my model 12 is the hardest to get results from. Yes it shoots but yes you do need to concentrate and if I am honest, this the rifle that has made me a better shot. The Vickers MkIII is new to me and certainly gets the job done. These days, other than 20 yard LSR competitions I only shoot from 50m onwards and with open sights and it is incredibly rewarding.

Claimed accuracy of the BSA's is around 2" at 100 yards and the Vickers are 1.5" at the same distance and I can believe it.

The Empire and the Centurion do seem to be easier to shoot, however they both have far lighter triggers so that may be helping somewhat.

1066, even now some clubs are throwing old BSA's out, I was asked to service a handful last year that had been sold from one club to another for GBP15.00

Ovenpaa wrote:Les, the top and bottom rifles belong to a friend and the middle two are mine. We also both own and shoot BSA Internationals and he has a BSA 12/15 as well as his Centurion. Arguably the prettiest of the rifles, my model 12 is the hardest to get results from. Yes it shoots but yes you do need to concentrate and if I am honest, this the rifle that has made me a better shot. The Vickers MkIII is new to me and certainly gets the job done. These days, other than 20 yard LSR competitions I only shoot from 50m onwards and with open sights and it is incredibly rewarding.

Claimed accuracy of the BSA's is around 2" at 100 yards and the Vickers are 1.5" at the same distance and I can believe it.

The Empire and the Centurion do seem to be easier to shoot, however they both have far lighter triggers so that may be helping somewhat.

1066, even now some clubs are throwing old BSA's out, I was asked to service a handful last year that had been sold from one club to another for GBP15.00

Doesn't surprise me, 22LR seem to be nigh on worthless unless they are black.

Lovely looking set there!

Out of interest... what was the "new fangled thing"?

Christel shoots a Marlin 7000 T (Target) from around 1999-2000

This one

Since it came to us Ovenpaa has done his magic and it is lighter and overall more manageable - needs to be as I stand up shooting with no support.
Back has been changed to suit me.

It has a different scope (thank you Keithkilvo1) and a lot of the inside has been removed. Also at some point it will go in the big lathe to be screwcut. A mod would go down well as it is a tad noisy for a .22.

I have just finished this summer's competition and have entered the winter competition - both indoor and outdoor.

I shoot CCI Subs however although they are fine I think I will change to Eley Subs.

Pretty !