BSA Meteor Super Test Review .22 Caliber
Overview
Testers: Eric Brewer, Stephen Archer
Caliber: 0.22 cal.
Test Date: Dec 29, 2022
Serial Numbers: Z90081-ZA
Source of Supply: Airguns of Arizona
Condition: New
We Like
Beautiful look
Great handling
Good trigger
We Don't Like
Poor accuracy
Pellet picky
Stock screws loosen with use
HAM RATING
- Value for Money 60%
- Speed and Accuracy 60%
- Trigger and Cocking Effort 80%
- Comparison to Makers Claims:100%
- Consistency 80%
- Noise Level 70%
- Sights 90%
- Shootability 90%
- Appearance and Finish 90%
- Buying and Owning 80%
76%
HARD AIR MAGAZINE TEST CONCLUSIONS
We wanted to love the BSA Meteor Super, we really did!
It looks beautiful, is superbly-finished and displayed excellent consistency in operation. The trigger is good and the cocking effort smooth and not too heavy.
It’s not heavy to carry and handles and points well in the field. The balance is outstanding. It also shot best with alloy pellets. If you want – or need – to shoot alloys, this could be the gun for you.
We can accept the noise level as being appropriate for an air rifle of this power. And a drop of Loctite on the stock screws would stop them from working loose.
But, sadly, the accuracy was just not there in the sample tested by HAM. Given the price and the BSA heritage, we expected better. That reason alone held the BSA Meteor Super back to a HAM Bronze Award.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Currently being sold at $449.00, the BSA Meteor Super is a player in the relatively constrained market for high quality breakbarrel air rifles.
Yes, it’s a beautiful gun with a classic name and pedigree. That makes our expectations high. But at this price, it’s up against some very strong competition from German classics from Weihrauch and Diana.
There’s no question that the BSA Meteor Super matches its market peers in almost all respects. But – on the basis of the sample tested by HAM – accuracy was sadly not among them.
For this reason alone, the BSA takes a knock on value for money.
BUY FROM AIRGUNS OF ARIZONA
BSA Meteor Super
SPEED AND ACCURACY
The BSA Meteor Super tested by HAM produced a maximum Muzzle Velocity of 833.23 FPS using 10.03 Grain H&N Field Target Trophy Green pellets. This is a .22 caliber gun, don’t forget.
The peak Muzzle Energy was 15.88 Ft/Lbs. This was attained with the Predator GTO alloy pellets.
| Pellet | Average Muzzle Velocity | Average Muzzle Energy | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&N Field Target Trophy Green 10.03 Grain | 833.23 FPS | 15.47 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| Predator GTO 11.75 Grain | 780.89 FPS | 15.88 Ft/Lbs | Good. Best Tested. |
| RWS Hobby 11.9 Grain | 653.94 FPS | 11.30 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| Crosman Premier HP 14.3 Grain | 659.66 FPS | 13.82 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| JSB Jumbo Exact 14.35 Grain | 616.07 FPS | 12.10 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66 Grain | 644.49 FPS | 13.52 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
| H&N Baracuda Match 21.14 Grain | 523.59 FPS | 12.87 Ft/Lbs | Poor. |
Interestingly, the BSA Meteor Super tested by HAM also produced best accuracy with the alloy, 11.75 Grain GTO alloys. As can be seen in the test target below, the group size for 10 shots was under one inch at 25 Yards.
Given the reputation of BSA’s hammer-forged barrels and previous experience – it has to be said that the HAM Team expected better accuracy.
As the 10-Yard targets at the foot of this review show, the Super Meteor tested by HAM was also rather pellet picky – at least with the standard suite of HAM test pellets. It preferred either light or heavy pellets, but not the regular mid-weight domed pellets that usually provide good accuracy in many guns tested by HAM.
Maybe we just got unlucky with this test gun. Or maybe there’s that “perfect pellet” out there somewhere that we didn’t test…
TRIGGER AND COCKING EFFORT
With an average pull weight of 2 Lb 13.5 Oz, the BSA Meteor Super’s trigger is light for a breakbarrel.
It’s also smooth and predictable in operation.
There’s a very light first stage. Pulling the trigger back through this, the second stage is clear and defined. This is not a “glass break” trigger, however it is one that is consistent and suitable for hunting use. The HAM Team adapted to it very quickly during the test period.
Second stage trigger engagement is adjustable using a small screw located behind the trigger blade. However – as always – this HAM test review was shot with the trigger in “as received” condition.
Cocking the gun is smooth. There’s no build-up of effort required as is the case with a spring/piston power plant. Rather, there’s a continuous requirement for about 28 Lbs of force throughout the cocking stroke. That’s a reasonable figure for most shooters.
The manual safety is light, easy-to-operate and effective. It falls readily to hand for a right-handed shooter, although left-handers may find it a little less convenient to operate.
COMPARISON TO MAKERS CLAIMS
Airguns of Arizona claims a Muzzle Velocity of “up to 750 FPS” for the US-specification Meteor Super in .22 caliber. The sample tested by HAM handily exceeded this by reaching a maximum of 833.23 FPS with 10.3 Grain H&N Field Target Trophy Green alloy domed pellets.
AoA’s claim for Muzzle Energy is “up to 13 Ft/Lbs”. Again, this was significantly exceeded by the test gun.
The maximum of 15.88 Ft/Lbs was achieved on test with Predator GTO 11.75 Grain alloy pellets. These happily also happened to be the most accurate pellets tested. So, if you want – or need – to shoot non-lead pellets, the BSA Meteor Super could be an attractive proposition.
CONSISTENCY
Across the standard range of HAM test pellets, the BSA Meteor Super tested by HAM delivered an average Standard Deviation of just 8.73 FPS. This statistical measure of shot-to-shot variation is about average for a spring/piston or breakbarrel air rifle in HAM test conditions.
The trigger pull weight varied by only 6.5 Ounces between the highest and lowest pulls recorded during this test. That is very good for a breakbarrel air rifle. Such a difference is effectively imperceptible to the shooter.
NOISE LEVEL
With a power capability of approaching 16 Ft/Lbs and no built-in silencer, the BSA Meteor Super is fairly quiet, but – as HAM Tester Eric Brewer described it – “not quite a backyard gun”.
However, remove the muzzle cap and you’ll find that the muzzle is threaded. This is to allow for the fitment of a dedicated airgun silencer – if required and where legal.
That would certainly reduce the report – although with the result of a longer gun.
SIGHTS AND SCOPE
The BSA Meteor Super is fitted with fiber optic front and rear open sights. The rear sight is adjustable for elevation and windage, as expected.
The front, post, sight has a red fiber optic element. However it is completely unprotected – as we can see in the photograph above – and care will be needed in use to prevent possible damage.
Of course, most owners will fit a riflescope, as the HAM Team did for this test review. Traditional 11 mm dovetail rails are machined in the receiver tube for scope mounting. These are combined with a well-sized and positioned scope stop screw hole.
If the BSA Meteor Super is your first gas ram air rifle, be sure to engage the scope stop screw of the mount or rear scope ring securely in this hole! This will prevent rearward movement due to recoil and hold the scope on target.
HAM Tester Eric Brewer did this for our review and the scope stayed in place with no problems.
For the shooting tests, we mounted a Hawke Airmax 30 WA SF, 4-16×50 scope. This worked well, gave a sharp image and complimented the size and weight of the air rifle.
SHOOTABILITY
With its pleasant trigger, smooth cocking and good handling, the BSA Meteor Super tested by HAM was easy and enjoyable to shoot.
The balance is good and the textured rubber buttpad fits well into the shoulder. The result was a good cheek weld when used with a scope.
At 6Lbs 8 Oz “bare” weight, this is also a fairly light air rifle. Even with the Hawke Airmax scope mounted, the all-up weight was just 8 Lbs 9 Oz.
In addition, hunters will appreciate the fact that the safety is silent in operation. This is rarely achieved in airguns but allows the gun to be kept on safe until the moment of shooting – as it should be – without spooking the prey when disengaging the safety.
One downside with the BSA Meteor Super tested by HAM was the tendency of the front stock screws to loosen with use. HAM Tester Eric Brewer tightened them a couple of times during the course of the test period.
So, check those stock screws! A drop of Loctite Blue machinery adhesive on the threads would probably fix the issue for good, although there was no sign this had been done by the factory on the test gun.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH
Beautiful!
The BSA Meteor Super is an extremely attractive breakbarrel air rifle. At 42.5 Inches overall length, it’s a comfortable and harmonious size.
Metal finish of the sample Meteor Super tested by HAM was first class, with excellent machining and deep, even bluing.
The solid “tree wood”, beech stock is – to the HAM Team’s minds – ideally-shaped. The patches of checkering are tasteful and sharply applied.
Looking closely at the wrist of the stock, we see the “m” logo of Italian specialist stock maker Minelli. It’s clear that BSA did not spare cost for the lovely woodwork of this gun!
BUYING AND OWNING
At the present time, the BSA Meteor Super is available in the USA primarily through Airguns of Arizona and Precision Airgun dealers. So it’s not easy to find locally for most people, although easy to buy online, of course.
The gun is accompanied by an “omnibus-style” owner’s manual that covers a wide range of models. It provides comprehensive written instructions in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
The warranty coverage is two years. It’s fulfilled through Airguns of Arizona in the USA.
TEST TARGETS
BUY FROM AIRGUNS OF ARIZONA
BSA Meteor Super
This entire article including scoring, test targets etc is Copyright Hard Air Magazine and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the publisher.
