Can anyone identify this please - TR rifle

[ovenpaa]

Can anyone identify the model please, it has the Original .308 S&L barrel fitted.

[Laurie]

It looks like a BSA CFT, the single-shot TR version of the CF2 action. It was an expensive action and a good one, but never as popular as the contemporary SWING or Musgrave, so much rarer now. Like the latter, it's a 2-lug Mauser type action. An example I had dealings with some years back suffered constant trigger problems, but I don't know if that was a general issue or just applied to this particular example. I have seen these rifles bought fairly cheap with clapped out original fitment Schultz & Larsen or BSA barrels with the actions used to build bench rest or F-Class rifles.There are some BSA CFT fans around.

[ovenpaa]

Many thanks for identifying it Laurie.

[ovenpaa]

I forgot to add, do you have any idea of the year of manufacture?

[Laurie]

BSA developed the CF2 sporting rifles from their 'Majestic' and 'Royal' predecessors sometime around 1968 according to Frank de Haas in his rifle actions book. The company stopped making rifles in the mid or late 1980s (???) current BSA air rifles being made by a Spanish company who bought the name. Apparently a box magazine repeater version of the CFT was entered into the 1980s British Army sniper rifle trials but rejected early on suggesting it was still being made then. So, 1970s to early or mid 80s seems the most likely timeframe, the former being the more likely as TR was fully introduced in 1968 and soon developed into a fair sized demand for new build designs as opposed to the conversion of service rifles as initially applied.

[ovenpaa]

Perfect! Many thanks for the information Laurie. I was just checking the prices and they seem to be very affordable rifles in TR form albeit the need to factor a new barrel in would add some to the final cost if ones was to be shot in TR or F/TR

[dromia]

BSA CF2 308 rifles were in production from 1973-1986 with just over 5000 being produced, so the CFT would be within this time frame, the sniper version came forward from the success of the CFT.

[rox]

they seem to be very affordable rifles in TR form

It would be no use whatsoever in TR. There's an arms-race going on, didn't you know?(</sarcasm>) :cheers:

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