BSA Lightning XL

[baz]

I have been using one of the new style Lightnings for last couple of weeks, this upgrade has made this well loved little carbine into a much more modern feeling and looking air rifle

The stock is similar the the Hornet version in beech with nice chequering on the grip and forend, very nice to use

Gone is that classic (but IMO awful looking) "rolling wave" trigger guard, replaced with a more conventional type with BSA cast into it, also has the piled arms logo cut into heel of the grip which looks rather nice

Trigger is a 2 stager which comes out of the box set a bit heavy but easy to adjust, the blade has a decent curve to it and is comfy to use

Silencer is all new and is almost bull barrel like in appearance, works well too

Accuracy is excellent straight from the box, this one is .177 and I have no problem hitting old 12g cases at 55yds at our club! Not bad for a rifle of this price and style

Finish is very good overall, safety is easy to use althoug a tad stiff at first

All in a very good value for money springer from BSA, nice to shoot with very little in the way of felt recoil, no twang either

Baz

[Shakey]

Thanks Baz
Is it a vast improvement on the lightning, if so what are the improvements? Still using the lightning I brought from you...cracking little gun and has accounted for many rabbits out lamping.
Many thanks for the new section
Hope ur well
Adi

[5thplaceron]

Thanks for that Baz ,one of our club members as just ordered one,(three weeks wait from local gun shop ) he has tried every air rifle known to mankind ,I just hope this one will suit him,Ron.

[rat-blaster]

i really liked the lightning, but then i had a look at the webley xocet, and i must say i was very impressed. very similar to the lightning but better balanced and felt better made than the webley.

[baz]

The stock, trigger and silencer are main improvements, I think internals are the same

The Exocet is an updated Vulcan, nothing wrong with them but out of the box the XL wins no problem, short and nice to use, plus well silenced and very accurate

Baz

[GaraGun]

Nice one Baz :) now if I were to find my XL review, & update it a bit, shall I add it to this thread, to keep all reviews of one gun type under the same heading?

[gaz gun man]

Thanks Baz

whats it like weight wise compared to the original Lightning? I suppose recoil is similar to the original too?

I want one in .25 but i couldnt hit a barn door with the original Lightning :rolleyes:

[baz]

Nice one Baz :) now if I were to find my XL review, & update it a bit, shall I add it to this thread, to keep all reviews of one gun type under the same heading?

Yup

Baz

[baz]

Thanks Baz

whats it like weight wise compared to the original Lightning? I suppose recoil is similar to the original too?

I want one in .25 but i couldnt hit a barn door with the original Lightning :rolleyes:

I think the shooting cycle is softer than the original, could be imagination due to nicer stock and balance though

Baz

[woodfl]

I've been using my new BSA LightningXL .177 for occasional target shooting 25m garden range, I've always wanted to own a Lightning and could'nt resist the temptation when the 'XL' version came out.

The carbine appears well made for it's price range and is accurate, the barrell lock up is especially good when compared to my 'wobbly' Webley Stingray.

The only fault I have found with my new LightningXL is that the process of breaking the barrell, loading & firing is causing the main breech 'hinge pin' to move slowly outwards and starts to penetrate into the beech stock side! :mad:

I have tapped the breech 'hinge pin' back to it's original 'centered' position using a steel drift a couple of times to-date the gun has only fired about 500 pellets from new :confused:

I was wondering if this breech pin movement is a common symptom with other BSA Lightning models?

[chinstrap]

the pin on my original model lightning used to do this to and like you i just knocked it back to position with a drift,damned annoying though.i really like the look of the new model but its this small niggle that bothers me enough to cause me not to buy one.shame really that bsa couldnt manage something similar to the hw setup.. :)

regards shaun

[R. P. McMurphy]

Baz,how do you compare the new BSA Lightning with the Webley Longbow?

[baz]

I rate the XL as better than the Longbow, and I do like the Webley

As for the cocking link pin put a drop of loctite on the end sticking out, tap it through enough to put a drop on the other end then centralise it, should be end of problem

Baz

[lionel]

As for the cocking link pin put a drop of loctite on the end sticking out, tap it through enough to put a drop on the other end then centralise it, should be end of problem

Baz

But doesn't this pin need to turn? Wouldn't the Loctite freeze it up?

Lionel

[baz]

Oops I thought he meant the link pin as that did move on my XL, however the same thing will work on the breech pin as long as loctite is only applied to the end and then pin pushed in, one side will do

Its not meant to turn in the action the breech block moves but pin stays still

Baz

[Mike95]

get a Webley Longbow or a Weihrauch 95k...nothing moves/comes loose etc.

I have seen/used the Lightning XL, a very accurate and light gun, but it seems that with recoiling springers, weight is good. Webleys and Weihrauchs have adjustable jaws, so there should be no wobbly barrels.

Mike95

[baz]

Dont agree, the hinge pin wont wear if get lubricated and the whole idea of the Lightning is that its a short light carbine that responds very well to a bit of tuning, the HW95 and Longbow also require tuning and are longer which means they are a different style of gun

I have had shed loads of HW95s and a few Longbows through here, I prefer a std XL any day, however a carbonised and properly tuned HW95 fitted with a decent silencer is an excellent gun but a lot more money than the XL which is well silenced to start with ;)

baz

[Tigger C]

It's finally stopped raining here, so I've been able to have a go of the one I have to try. It's a .177. I agree with all Baz has said. Mine is still diesilling slightly after about a hundred shots, but after a barrel clean, the accuracy with Daystate 4.53's is tremendous. Well done BSA. I think it may sneak into my cabinet 'cause it's so much fun to shoot :)
Chris.

[deeps]

Just adding to the body of knowledge here. Been mucking about with one I got s/h for my neighbours son. Seems pretty good, very pointable and the right size/weight for a youths first hunting rifle.

Criticisms would be;

1) The end cap on the silencer keeps unscrewing every 20-30 shots - easily sorted with loctite but it shouldn't happen.

2) The scope rail is 14mm wide not the usual 11mm which means you are restricted in your choice of mounts - pain in the rse - no idea why BSA have done this.

3) There is a stud for a swivel fitted to the silencer which is great - why don't BSA go ahead and also fit one to the stock as standard, in its current format it is neither fish nor fowl.

[Friday]

Hi All

Any one compared the BSA Lighning XL Century Limited Edition to the standard walnut BSA Lighning XL, apart from the extras ( ie sling ,gun bag ,scope and mounts ) Is there much difference with the two rifles.

Theres a couple for sale and if i sale my rifle thinking about buying one,

Regards

Friday

[steiner]

I`ve just obtained a 1950`s Diana 27, break-barrel which has a threaded bolt,with secondary locking screw (in case the bolt does start to unscrew) and shims either side to take up play.This thing`s lock up is incredibly tight,all this quality is from 50 years ago, built in a country recovering from losing a war!Yet here we are being sold guns that frankly use old technology and can vibrate apart and wreck scopes into the bargain (i know this ,cos I have a 1 year old Supersport ,which I regret buying deeply)

Why do we buy these rifles ?, well probably because it says BSA on them ,I mean why don`t the cheap-skates at BSA do a redesign and lose these horrible hinge- pins, why should you have to go looking for Loctite?.What`s the point of tacking a fantastic synthetic stock like the Tactical XL`s onto what is basically an improved 1970`s rifle.It`s another example of the classic British engineering malaise of not finishing things off properly.

As regard BSA PCP`s ,at least they are in safer hands with Mr Bowkett,I recently tried the Scorpion T10 that was won by Kenny Weddell and it`s really,rather good.

That said nothing would induce me to buy another BSA springer.

Take care

Kenny

[hwtyger]

Yeah, love my Tactical too! As you all might have read in my 'oldie'review!:D
About the Lightning XL, imo:
- trigger (far heavier than it's competitor, the Stingray, ánd it has some creep)
- LOADED with grease internally
- weird dovetailsize
- damping rubber comes 'out' at front ánd back of the rail. Looks cheap.
- Tactical pistolgrip a tad too large for me
- 4.5 mm's sometimes very hard to load; tight barrel
- if we're comparing to the LB; finish of the BSA is FAR less, as is the trigger, and LB has LW barrel.
- limited scopelength possible
- as I heard and read on several places, these BSA cán be holdsensitive

+ easy to cock and close
+ no twang or any springnoise during cocking/firing (partially due to the LOAD of grease?)
+ recoil pretty mild
+ Tactical has great looks
+ integrated shroud/silencer
+ fun to shoot!

[metch]

I have,today,bought a new BSA Lightning XL .177, fitted an AGS scope,then cocked it and found it very difficult to put a pellet in. If it isn't presented exactly square it won't go in. Two types I tried Bisley Magnums and Superdomes. Bit of a bugger,really. Any advice,please?

[baz]

My review was 2 1/2 years ago so I cant remember that much about it, but I only ever use JSB Exacts (AA Field) and they were ok to get in barrel I think they were 4.52s so try 4.50s

Baz

[hwtyger]

The .177 barrel seem to be known for a tight fit. The 5.5's don't seem to have this 'problem'. I've heard of some having the 'chamber'reamed to make loading easier. Otherwise, a pelletseater could help, and indeed, the right pelletsize or try another pellet alltogether. Superdomes and Accupells are said to work good in BSA's too.

[metch]

The .177 barrel seem to be known for a tight fit. The 5.5's don't seem to have this 'problem'. I've heard of some having the 'chamber'reamed to make loading easier. Otherwise, a pelletseater could help, and indeed, the right pelletsize or try another pellet alltogether. Superdomes and Accupells are said to work good in BSA's too.
The initial difficulty in putting a pellet in has eased considerably after firing about 50 last night. I just have to accept that RWS Superdomes, my favourite pellet,are a tight fit. Otherwise the gun is just as I expected it to be. Certainly at 21 yards you can put pellet on pellet.

[Jim145]

My .177 was very tight, but my .25 has been reamed and it makes life much easier. If you know a good gunsmith it might be worth letting him have a look at it ;)