Modding BSA Lightning XL trigger

[bigtoe01]

Cheers Tony! Let's see what BSA have to say for themselves first, but I've got a feeling I might be learning about how to fit one barrel inside another! I presume the easiest/ best way to do it is to bore the BSA barrel to an ID that matches the OD of the breech seal, and turn the breech seal recess on the OD of the insert before they're pressed together? And how do you accurately bore a 10" barrel?

...slowly...LOL

or you work out how to get the BSA barrel completely out of the breech block, machine the new barrel to replace it and work out a way of getting it fixed without tightening the breech

[Hangtight]

There isn't really any breech block on the Lightning, simply a block for the pivot and latch, brazed onto the underside of the barrel. So it would have to be bored as an assembly and the barrel pressed in.

[sbd]

There isn't really any breech block on the Lightning, simply a block for the pivot and latch, brazed onto the underside of the barrel. So it would have to be bored as an assembly and the barrel pressed in.

...would be enough rather than a press fit if you're happy you can keep it concentric as it dries

Or do a webley and thread it and have a set of multi-calibre barrels made up

[Hangtight]

...would be enough rather than a press fit if you're happy you can keep it concentric as it dries

Or do a webley and thread it and have a set of multi-calibre barrels made up

Don't tempt me! Or I'll never get the damn thing finished

[UKOldun]

Have recently purchased a BSA Lightning XL SE GRT and found that the Gamo SAT trigger was heavy, creepy with no feel when release was about to take place. It bore no comparison to the Record Trigger on my HW97 ( I can hear all you clever lads saying what did you expect? ) Reading through your forum I came accross Hangtights experience and his ideas to modify this said trigger. So removing the stock and comparing the triggers I can confirm it is the Gamo plastic trigger that Hangtight has been talking a bought been fitted to the BSA. So I jumped in and bought a Chalied da Tuna GRT-4G trigger conversion, and am I glad I did.
The conversion was a doddle BUT there was a small problemm to over come. When the trigger kit arrived it assumed ( there is a saying about this word that during the passage of time I have forgotten. perhaps someone can enlighten me?) that the trigger spindle/pin from the plastic trigger could be reused. In my case not so. In my model, BSA/Gamo had incorporated this trigger spindle/pin into the trigger molding this was not good news. However being an engineer and fiddler I started to give it some thought:. I found that the shank end of a No4 drill was an exact/easey fit to solve the problem. Cut down to 11mm length and nicely smoothed off it was made for the job. As for the final result, well what can I say? When I took my HW97 and BSA lightning XL SE to the range I could not distinguish any difference in the trigger pull and accuracy is identical. Bearing in mind the difference in weight of these two air rifles I know which one I will be taking for a walk in the woods
Many Thanks Hangtight for getting me motivated, this conversion has transformer a maudling air rifle to something more than able to compete with our European parters. I retained the original safety as I like the ability to turn it back on if a shot is not taken. The Gamo version makes this a little more difficult but this is only amatter of prefference.

[Hangtight]

Glad it worked out for you and that it has made such a difference. I found 4mm dia x 12mm dowels on Evil bay to use as the pivot pin. The Gamo type safety works the same as the BSA one in that it can be reset, but I just prefer the location in front of the trigger.
Mine is still sat in the bag until I can resolve issues with the barrel. The rifle has been back to BSA once, but may have to go back again, so no invalidating the warranty just yet!

PS If anyone else is doing this conversion drop me a PM as I have a few extras of the pivot pin needed. Yours for the cost of a SAE.

[UKOldun]

Glad it worked out for you and that it has made such a difference. I found 4mm dia x 12mm dowels on Evil bay to use as the pivot pin. The Gamo type safety works the same as the BSA one in that it can be reset, but I just prefer the location in front of the trigger.
Mine is still sat in the bag until I can resolve issues with the barrel. The rifle has been back to BSA once, but may have to go back again, so no invalidating the warranty just yet!

PS If anyone else is doing this conversion drop me a PM as I have a few extras of the pivot pin needed. Yours for the cost of a SAE.

Have just dropped Email to Charliedatuna explaining new mods to GAMO plastic triggers , advising inclusion of trigger pin to overcome GAMO's efforts to annoy.

[Hangtight]

After some badgering, I eventually received a reply from BSA regarding the nature of the lubrication and the issues with the barrel. Unfortunately this reply was somewhat disappointing. It is dismissive in tone, stating that BSA have no wish to assist me further in resolving any issues, neither should I attempt to resolve them myself. No mention is made of the condition of the barrel.
So right now I'm torn between persevering with getting BSA to sort out this damn rifle. Or just saying, "Fug it!" and almost completely re-engineering a virtually new rifle just to get the bloody thing to work properly. Either way, I'm somewhat ticked off, and certainly won't be buying another bloody BSA.

[evert]

Dont think you can blame "BSA"- I blame GAMO for the bad "BSA" guns.

Good to hear other people have bad experiences with these guns as well, so it not just me theres a problem with

Good luck on the tinkering, enjoyable reading!

[Hangtight]

I don't think I'd mind so much if the Lightning was a 'bad' gun, but it's not. Its got the potential to be a cracking little rifle.
Regardless of who makes it, BSA is the name stamped on the breech and they need to be ready to support their product and their customers.
Not having had much luck with customer service, my concerns and in particular the issue over the barrel breech problem (and I know I'm not alone with this particular problem) will now be addressed to the MD, (Mr Simon Moore). One more chance BSA!

[TonyHolden]

It's disheartning to see this attitude from BSA, at a time when they should be pushing to get these new gas ram rifles accepted, this won't do them any good. I do wonder if the management of BSA understand the changes that the internet and social media have brought about? The days of maybe one or two letters in an airgun magazine complaining about QC have long gone, everyone has a voice now and anyone can listen to it.

I know from my own experience that the Lightning can be the basis for an excellent rifle, my XL Tactical is a delight to shoot. But, threads like this one did make it easier for me to abandon the idea of a Supersport in .25 and buy a Hatsan instead.

[bigtoe01]

I don't think I'd mind so much if the Lightning was a 'bad' gun, but it's not. Its got the potential to be a cracking little rifle.
Regardless of who makes it, BSA is the name stamped on the breech and they need to be ready to support their product and their customers.
Not having had much luck with customer service, my concerns and in particular the issue over the barrel breech problem (and I know I'm not alone with this particular problem) will now be addressed to the MD, (Mr Simon Moore). One more chance BSA!

dont give up, we will sort the barrel by sleeving it.

[junglie]

After some badgering, I eventually received a reply from BSA regarding the nature of the lubrication and the issues with the barrel. Unfortunately this reply was somewhat disappointing. It is dismissive in tone, stating that BSA have no wish to assist me further in resolving any issues, neither should I attempt to resolve them myself. No mention is made of the condition of the barrel.
So right now I'm torn between persevering with getting BSA to sort out this damn rifle. Or just saying, "Fug it!" and almost completely re-engineering a virtually new rifle just to get the bloody thing to work properly. Either way, I'm somewhat ticked off, and certainly won't be buying another bloody BSA.

If it's still under warrenty send it back & demand it be re-barelled. I've had probems with bsa barrels on lightnings as have plenty of other people .

[Hangtight]

It's under warranty, and has already been back once with a request that the barrel issue is addressed. The repairs department simply shot a string over a chrono, claimed it made a half inch group at 25 yards and sent it back.
A follow up email to the PEC department took three further phone calls (once I eventually got through to a human being) to get a reply after a week and a half, and then that reply was the unsatisfactory one mentioned above.
If others have had this issue and got it resolved then that gives me hope, but if BSA have acknowledged to other individuals that this is a problem by replacing the barrel, why not resign themselves to the fact that here's another one?

[bufo]

I understand the theory that the barrel is faulty, and as I said earlier I seem to have a good example of the new GRTs, but if you can shoot good groups with it what is the problem? or does your rifle not group well at all? I fitted the CDT trigger to mine after following this thread and it was a bit of a faff with me having to drill out the trigger mechanism for the new spindle etc, and I can confirm mine wasn't lubed in the cylinder either while the trigger mechanism was full of grey grease, absolutely packed. I'm not convinced by the longevity of the plastic parts in the gun, particularly the anti bear trap and the safety mechanism which broke on disassembly of my gun but the metal parts seem well finished and robust. I find the new trigger has a nice light , crisp let off now and I managed to shoot my first pellet on pellet one hole group at 20m yesterday, but I miss the two stage release a bit. I now have three BSA rifles and touch wood have never had to deal with customer service for a problem. Both my FX and Air arms rifle had to go back under warranty within a few months. My Lightning was initially all over the place, but I find that that has more to do with me and how I hold the rifle than the rifle itself. Also it seems to like certain types of pellet, the lighter the better, and particularly the 4.52mm Defiants which give appalling groups in every other rifle I have tried them in. Part of the reason I bought the lightning is that its different from the usual German stuff, which tends to be long, skinny and heavy, and the air arms rifles which are also pretty heavy. I don't think it should be expected to shoot like these rifles, and the stubby, pointable and slightly jumpy nature of the thing is pretty endearing. By all means improve it, I intend to keep working on mine, but I don't expect it to be something it clearly is not and I guess that is the BSA attitude too, its built down to a price and good enough for purpose, If you wanted a match rifle there are other manufacturers that build these. As far as putting the best engineering possible into the rifle, it would probably cost twice as much then and no one would buy them. If BSA were to produce a no expense spared spring rifle I might still buy one, but the lightning is what it is.