BSA Lightning GRT in .22

[schony]

I have bought one of these Marmite guns, personally I love mine. Smooth to cock, trigger better than I need, far more accurate than I am, firing cycles with a thump and love the smooth cocking cycle. I love the looks and the feel or the gun, however. The power is down to 9.7 ft lbs and I would like to bring it up to legal maximum. I have noticed on BSA web site that these are supplied in different powers dependent on local laws. Do you think some rifles arrived here with the wrong rating of ram in i.e. the 13.5 joule version, it would explain the numbers that have complained about it being down on power? Anyway I have contacted Knibbs and when the 16 joules model comes in I will order one and see how that goes, another alternative I considered but dont know if it is practical is, can a preload be applied to the ram to increase power. It may be a stupid totally unworkable solution, I really dont know anything about gas rams. I know it can be done with normal spring rifles. Comments please on a postcard to ??????????
Thanks for any opinions on this at all.

[bighit]

you cant preload the ram any more than it is i don't think. if you do you may stop the ram from contracting enough to then let the rifle cock. like coil bound in a spring . the spring is compressed solid and the bit on the piston does not reach the sears so it wont cock .



more pressure in the ram will give more power but as its a sealed ram there is no way to pump it up.



it was asked here too
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA...?topic=24250.0


hatsan do an adjustable ram but you have to remove the ram and pump it and then rebuild and test, then if its not right you have to strip and pump it or decrease the pressure then rebuild and test it

[schony]

you cant preload the ram any more than it is i don't think. if you do you may stop the ram from contracting enough to then let the rifle cock. like coil bound in a spring . the spring is compressed solid and the bit on the piston does not reach the sears so it wont cock .



more pressure in the ram will give more power but as its a sealed ram there is no way to pump it up.



it was asked here too
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA...?topic=24250.0


hatsan do an adjustable ram but you have to remove the ram and pump it and then rebuild and test, then if its not right you have to strip and pump it or decrease the pressure then rebuild and test it

Thankyou, I checked the link you provided and the answer seems a flat no and that is that. What do you think of my assertion that some rifles whose owners have complained of being low power having the wrong gas ram fitted at the factory, perhaps because the need to fill orders meant they substituted 13.5 joules rams when perhaps 16 joules rams were out of stock or unavailable at the time of assembly?
Alan

[bighit]

Thankyou, I checked the link you provided and the answer seems a flat no and that is that. What do you think of my assertion that some rifles whose owners have complained of being low power having the wrong gas ram fitted at the factory, perhaps because the need to fill orders meant they substituted 13.5 joules rams when perhaps 16 joules rams were out of stock or unavailable at the time of assembly?
Alan

i could not answer that as i don't know . its possible there was a few slipped by . might be worth emailing BSA to ask if there was any recall due to it then you would know .

just read your post regarding the sling stud . thats a bummer .

[schony]

i could not answer that as i don't know . its possible there was a few slipped by . might be worth emailing BSA to ask if there was any recall due to it then you would know .

just read your post regarding the sling stud . thats a bummer .

Sling stud now sorted. I had to super heat it and hammered a star bit into the damaged allen grub screw. It was still blinking hard work but I have now managed to remove it and fitted the BSA sling swivel stud in place using blue locktite so should be ok. Will soon find out

[robs5230]

What pellets are you using ?
Pellet choice will have a massive impact on power.
I'd say unlikely it has the wrong ram.

Try some lightweight pellets and also consider the breech O ring may be worn.
Get a small bit of tissue paper and put it on top of where the breech mates to the cylinder when the rifle is cocked and loaded. If the breech o ring isn't sealing, the tissue will blow off.

[Portzy]

When I bought mine a couple of years ago the dealer chrono'd a few and they were all 10'ish or thereabouts, mine I seem to remember is/was about 10 1/2 which for me is plenty. Based on that, I would imagine yours does have the correct strut fitted.

I steer clear of heavyweight pellets, Weihrauch FT's and Falcons suit it to a tee. I was going to advise how I fitted studs to mine but it appears you're sorted now

[schony]

What pellets are you using ?
Pellet choice will have a massive impact on power.
I'd say unlikely it has the wrong ram.

Try some lightweight pellets and also consider the breech O ring may be worn.
Get a small bit of tissue paper and put it on top of where the breech mates to the cylinder when the rifle is cocked and loaded. If the breech o ring isn't sealing, the tissue will blow off.

As you suggested I tried the tissue trick but it didnt blow off. I am shooting 16 grn AA Diablo field

[schony]

When I bought mine a couple of years ago the dealer chrono'd a few and they were all 10'ish or thereabouts, mine I seem to remember is/was about 10 1/2 which for me is plenty. Based on that, I would imagine yours does have the correct strut fitted.

I steer clear of heavyweight pellets, Weihrauch FT's and Falcons suit it to a tee. I was going to advise how I fitted studs to mine but it appears you're sorted now

Do you know what weight those pellets are please. AA diablo fields I am using are 16 grains.
I am sorted sling wise but still interested how you fixed a sling to yours. I wouldnt have thought the BSA grub screw replacement sling stud would be up to the job but it really does look as though it will take the weight ok. BSA must know what they are doing ok?

[robs5230]

Do you know what weight those pellets are please. AA diablo fields I am using are 16 grains.
I am sorted sling wise but still interested how you fixed a sling to yours. I wouldnt have thought the BSA grub screw replacement sling stud would be up to the job but it really does look as though it will take the weight ok. BSA must know what they are doing ok?

The falcons are about 13.43 grain.
The aa field are probably too heavy in .22 at 16 grain.
If you can get hold of any to try, air arms or jsb express or JSB RS should be a lot better. I'd confirm with pellet testing before suspecting any fault. Falcon are the same weight thereabouts as RS i think.
Even RWS superdome at 14.5 g would be worth trying. They may well suit BSA barrels

[Portzy]

Do you know what weight those pellets are please. AA diablo fields I am using are 16 grains.
I am sorted sling wise but still interested how you fixed a sling to yours. I wouldnt have thought the BSA grub screw replacement sling stud would be up to the job but it really does look as though it will take the weight ok. BSA must know what they are doing ok?

The Weihrauchs are 14.66 gns and they are, I believe, H&N FTT's but in 5.51 as opposed to regular 5.53 which I found to be too tight in my particular BSA's barrel

The FAP's are 13.4 gns and are alledged to be JSB RS

In fact, when I bought the gun I asked for a tin of AA but the dealer actually gave me a couple of tins of the Weihrauchs and said I would be best using them, he wasn't wrong.

On the sling front, I used a photo of the rifle with studs fitted and scaled up the positions for the studs, the rear was easiest to do and I used the long threaded version firstly drilling a couple of gentle pilot holes making sure the drill went in square relative to all the surfaces.

The forend, after scaling, turned out to be directly under a small plastic insert/guide that is only visible when the action is removed so I just temp removed it, drilled and fitted a short stud, then popped the insert back in. A word of warning though, on the cocking arm there is a small plastic roller on a pin and it is easy to loose it if you dont keep the action upright when you remove it.

[schony]

The Weihrauchs are 14.66 gns and they are, I believe, H&N FTT's but in 5.51 as opposed to regular 5.53 which I found to be too tight in my particular BSA's barrel

The FAP's are 13.4 gns and are alledged to be JSB RS

In fact, when I bought the gun I asked for a tin of AA but the dealer actually gave me a couple of tins of the Weihrauchs and said I would be best using them, he wasn't wrong.

On the sling front, I used a photo of the rifle with studs fitted and scaled up the positions for the studs, the rear was easiest to do and I used the long threaded version firstly drilling a couple of gentle pilot holes making sure the drill went in square relative to all the surfaces.

The forend, after scaling, turned out to be directly under a small plastic insert/guide that is only visible when the action is removed so I just temp removed it, drilled and fitted a short stud, then popped the insert back in. A word of warning though, on the cocking arm there is a small plastic roller on a pin and it is easy to loose it if you dont keep the action upright when you remove it.

Just ordered a tin of the auction site to test.
Here is the blurb on the pellets

Weihrauch F&T Special Produced by the German ammunition manufacturing giant H&N especially for Weihrauch, these pellets are optimised for use in Weihrauch barrels. They are basically a Field Target Trophy but with a smaller diameter (5.51) than the H&N branded version (5.53 / 5.54). They are also specially selected to meet the very high quality control standards Weihrauch are renown for. Calibre: .22 | 5.51 Weight: 14.66 Grains Quantity: 200

I did feel that the 5.52 were a little tight so these should work a treat.

[schony]

I have found a tin of RS at 13.43 grn. Chrono at 9.6 ft lbs or 13.1 joule, strangely close to BSA 13.5 Joule gas ram, but I dont fancy stripping it to check lol

[schony]

I have found a tin of RS at 13.43 grn. Chrono at 9.6 ft lbs or 13.1 joule, strangely close to BSA 13.5 Joule gas ram, but I dont fancy stripping it to check lol

I bought a 16 joule ram from Knibbs and fitted it today. First shot 16 ft lbs after several shots now down to a comfy 11.5 ft lbs. It does indeed look as though some did come in with the wrong ( 13 joule ) ram fitted. Just for you guys information.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post men, much appreciated

[schony]

I bought a 16 joule ram from Knibbs and fitted it today. First shot 16 ft lbs after several shots now down to a comfy 11.5 ft lbs. It does indeed look as though some did come in with the wrong ( 13 joule ) ram fitted. Just for you guys information.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post men, much appreciated

Further for your information, I have been using my GRT a bit over the last few days. A guy on here calls his rifle thumper because it gets rabbits, I will call mine thumper because it thumps at the end of its stroke. However I do enjoy shooting it and I have found it far more accurate than I. All you Lightning haters will love this, it is quite hard to cock with the 16 joule ram fitted so I did my best to check the effort needed to cock it. Using bathroom scales and cocking the gun with the barrel on the scales ( not very scientific I know) the scales read 45 pounds, yes 45 lbs. I thought it was hard to cock. Dont know if it will become easier over time or not but certainly at this time I will put up with it as I like the rifle that much.
Happy Xmas and New year to you all