BSA Lightning XL experience

[mark22c]

had looked at one of these over the weekend at a store near me. obviously didnt get to shoot it but was a nice gun to hold and shoulder.
i did notice the finish wasnt quite as good as i'd like for £250 but then the last time i bought a brand new hw90 they cost £150 and the finish was much better than the bsa i held at the weekend... prices have risen astronomically since i last bought an air rifle about 5 or 6 years ago!
im truly stumped as to what to buy now after finding this thread? as was going to buy one.

[Jenny Dipple]

I have owned Lightening XLs in all three calibres, all shot well, but I did have problems finding a pellet that fitted ok in the .177, Accupell were the only ones that fitted straght from the tin. I had the same problem with the .25, pellets very tight fit in the end I got PCMB to make me pellet sizers which sorted out the problem. I only have the .25 now and would not get rid of it. Its very accurate out to 35yds and hard hitting.

[basa]

having owned mk1 lightning .22 which i love for its lack of weight and point ability plus relative quietness and having just purchased a .177 xL iwould be worried reading the negative views expressed hear so am quite pleased to be buying xL from a pal tuned 11.1flb and that its a brummy one should have soon ever thought why gamo if they sell crap are able to buy other more ilustrious names ie bsa maybe its because their goverment backs them while ours could not give a s**t ie rover rolls royce bsa webley et al but if your a money grabing bank thats different cheers basa

[AW33]

Hello, I've just read through this thread and have decided to put in my experience.
I have recently taken the plunge and bought a new Lightning XL in .22.
Admittedly I've only had it a few days, but I've put a couple of hundred pellets through it. So far I have had no problems, it's relatively quiet as well as nice and light.
The gun is far more accurate than I am, although I am a novice shooter so I hope to get better with practice.
It cocks easily, and I've had no pellet issues with RWS Superdomes.

In all a positive experience.

I appreciate that everyone's experience may be differnet and if you get faulty kit then it should go back no exceptions.


Cheers, Alan

[21lec]

I found this a most interesting thread. A wide variety of experiences. My Lightning XL was a birthday present (my 74th if you must know - "Wont you ever grow up?", didn't understand the question) so I'm not going to knock it. Its performance suits me fine but I got concerned after reading some comments about its finish etc. So I put my best reading specs on and went over it and wobbled several bits. It has a walnut stock and apart from a little side play on the trigger looks faultless. It hasn't had a vast amount of use but I'll let you know in the next 74 years how it stood up.
After all that my question is were any completely made in Brum and if so how do you tell? My understanding was that components were made here and sent to Spain for assembly - which seems odd.

[harvey_s]

I'm not sure when production swapped to Spain.
My belief is that early XL's were made in the UK and in the case of the Tactical stock version there is a dirty great reilef in the moulding that says 'Made in Birmingham'...
Then I believe that the parts were produced in the UK and assembled in Spain.
AFAIK there appears to be two main ways of telling the difference between Spanish rifles and UK ones and these appear to be...
1) The cocking link on the underside was made from laminated pieces of steel on the UK made ones and solid steel on the Spanish one (and the solid steel Spanish one is a lot looser fit)
2) The later Spanish ones had an anti-bear trap device fitted that prevents you from decocking them.

[Bonzo!]

I have had my XL since Aug this year and have had only one issue, this was that it went off twice when closing the barrel after loading, strange but it has not happened since, mine is stamped Birmingham, i did check with BSA and after providing the barrel number they confirmed that this was made in UK 2009.
I find is very accurate on the range and out in the field.

[greebo63]

I've got a good old fashioned English Lightning with a plain stock in .22. It has a slight cheekpiece on the left for right handed shooting but I am still able to use it as a leftie. I have just returned to the sport after a 30 year absence & due to spinal & nerve injuries, I find it an excellent therapy. I find it very easy to cock & light enough & well balanced so that I am actually doing quite well at targets. I can easily go through 2-300 pellets in a session & during that time obviously I have to cock it so that it works as a mini bullworker & there is also the balance & stance which helps with coordination. I do ache a day or so after but it is a fun gun & even though I am now looking for a pcp in .177 for FT, I will not get rid of it. It is very quiet with just the slightest of twangs, the real noise comes from the pellet hitting & it does hit hard. The trigger is not the best but is predictable which makes it better than a long pull squeezy blade, for myself at least. The recoil is hardly noticable & nothing like the guns I grew up with, it still allows you to look through the scope to see where the pellet hits on longer targets. I wouldn't be without it.

[scoie]

Hi Greebo

glad you enjoy the Lightning and also are able to benefit from using it, the best of both worlds. I have the same version but i pimped it up with an XL stock second hand. great gun to use , its just a very honest gun. I also obtained a lovely .177 AA S200 which is a joy to use ( perhaps a little soul less compared to an old fashioned springer but so effective , and if you can use a stirrup pump then a gym workout too)
Have recently got into Rimfire ,so sold the AAs200 but wont be parting with the lightning its just a great , honest gun
cheers
craig

[Bessa]

Spoke to a guy who imports the BSA range this weekend (chance meeting at MAG)
There is a problem!
However the good experiences of some here with BSA Lightning is possibly owing to pre 2005 stock still sitting in the racks or in the back stock rooms of some gunshops. For he (incredibly) actually agreed with my little theory. Gamos have improved in quality while BSA models have dropped off starkly for post 2004 stuff.
He said they had copied the Stutzen...then the stutzen is no more while the fabulous trench loading port for the RB2 Airsporter derivatives also got copied but the BSA models again disappearing.
Gamo are taking BSA down, possibly due to royalty payments for the Gamo designs being more important for their bosses/design team.

[remorem2jh@supanet.com]

hi guys i had an XL belived to be a version could not get on with it (accuracy probs) no matter what i tried i could not get it to group under 3" at 25yds in even put in a V.Mach kit but still no improvment i have severall other springers and can get sub 1" at 35yds so i had to let it go in the end PX ing it for the Venom77k.
Shame as i spent much time and money on it and loved the short pointy style and handling.
regards Jamie

[Buckphutt32]

Have you ever tried using an airstripper on your XL Lightning as I have just purchased one from Rowan engineering and I can now claim accuracy wise it rates about the same as my BSA R-10 and that`s saying something. The airstripper I purchased cost about £39.99 but it was money well spent.

[mickjjuk]

Hi, just getting back in to shooting and was thinking of getting a good old BSA. But it looks like things have changed. Will have a re think. Thank goodness for sites like this. Mick P.S or I will have to get a older one

[Rickenbacker]

I've just been having a look at a friend's 'new model' .25 XL

It is almost new, fired less than a tin of pellets.

This is the one with the new shape stock, and the gun also feels lighter than the Brum built rifles.

1. The barrel moves left-to-right in the breech jaws.

2. Trying to cock the rifle - the sear doesn't engage 2 out of 3 attempts.

3. When you do get it cocked, moving the safety catch has a 50/50 chance of firing the gun!

Shocking...

[Tank]

I had the original lightning made in Birmingham before BSA went continental and it was fantastic. I absolutely loved it and wish i'd never got rid of it If i were to get another springer i would think twice about a new lightning. I think i'd probably try and find an original brum built one on the net somewhere.