Is it possible

[$harp$hooter]

Just wondering if it is possible, without much fettling to swap barrels on a BSA Lightning XL from .177 to .22. I kind of like to thought of a single platform in different calibers without owning the 2 guns individually.

Does anyone know if it is simple swap over over barrels and cocking arms and also if there are any associated risks with putting a .22 barrel on a .177 action?

[Biker_Bob]

Fitting a .22 barrel on a .177 action will result in an over-power gun.
You'll need to de-tune it so that it runs about 10fltb in .177 to give you high 11's in .22
To me the resulting loss in velocity of the .177 defeats the point of having the .177 in the first place.
Not to mention the faff of changing over and the uneven wear on the breech jaws vs the two breech blocks which will affect the lock up and accuracy.
I'd give it a miss (pun intended)

[$harp$hooter]

Fitting a .22 barrel on a .177 action will result in an over-power gun.
You'll need to de-tune it so that it runs about 10fltb in .177 to give you high 11's in .22
To me the resulting loss in velocity of the .177 defeats the point of having the .177 in the first place.
Not to mention the faff of changing over and the uneven wear on the breech jaws vs the two breech blocks which will affect the lock up and accuracy.
I'd give it a miss (pun intended)

I thought as much. I had read a thread on here where someone had put the .177 gas ram into a .22 and it resulted in being FAC rated unwillingly and thought swapping the barrel on a .177 may achieve the same result.

Looking into a second gun in .22 it is!

[Fluffybuck]

Many .177 Lightnings seem to run at 10-11ftlb so some might just about stay below 12ftlb with a .22 barrel.

If the larger calibre barrel were slightly shortened it would allow both barrels to shoot at the same muzzle energy - I proved this with a TXHC which was originally .177cal with standard 9.5" Walther barrel and is now .25cal with custom 6.5" .25cal Walther barrel shooting with the same internals and at the same 11ftlb muzzle energy as it did when it was .177.

In some cases (not the Lightning) changing barrel length or calibre doesn't always have the expected effect; it depends on whether the barrel was longer than necessary to start with.

[$harp$hooter]

Many .177 Lightnings seem to run at 10-11ftlb so some might just about stay below 12ftlb with a .22 barrel.

If the larger calibre barrel were slightly shortened it would allow both barrels to shoot at the same muzzle energy - I proved this with a TXHC which was originally .177cal with standard 9.5" Walther barrel and is now .25cal with custom 6.5" .25cal Walther barrel shooting with the same internals and at the same 11ftlb muzzle energy as it did when it was .177.

In some cases (not the Lightning) changing barrel length or calibre doesn't always have the expected effect; it depends on whether the barrel was longer than necessary to start with.

So it is possible to do but there is a bit of fettling required with the barrel length to make it sub 12ft/lbs. Am I right in thinking the same also applies if you went up to a .25 barrel as does with a .22?

[TDes]

Someone on here (a long time ago) had an HW80 with a quick release system to change barrels.

T

[dannyboy8133]

Is this not a airgunning myth? Remembering vaguely that force = mass x velocity (or similiar) surely the equivlent air pressure that propels a .177 at a given velocity to produce 12 ftlb would propel a heavier projectile at 12 ftlb = a lower velocity. If someone cleverer could explain Id be grateful and how are Beeman getting around this with their dual calibre effort? Cos you canne break the laws of physics (unless it suits the script!)?