Never seen a review of this springer. Looks to be well made from the pictures I've seen. AoA has one for sale in their pre-owned section.
Anyone have experience with a BSA Lightening?
- Thread starter blackdiesel
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I owned one a few years ago, ended up getting a gas ram installed by Dave Slade.
Sweet shooting 16 fpe 22 caliber carbine, handled very well in the woods.
Sweet shooting 16 fpe 22 caliber carbine, handled very well in the woods.
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They are very popular in the UK as a sub 12ft/lb gun. Never owned one but did shoot one in the UK a few times. I nearly got one myself recently but ended up opting for the HW50s
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Not sure if same model, but I had inquired about the Lightening before. Here is some feedback for ya: https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/bsa-lightning-xl-se-anyone/
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I've owned 3 Lightnings of various generations and iterations. An early, very plain stock .22 springer converted to gas-ram, a later .22 springer with nicer stock, and still own a .177 gas-ram XL SE model with the nicest stock (Minelli?). All were/are plenty accurate piston rifles. The .177 XL SE is the most velocity consistent piston rifle I've tested of several dozen (as shown below). More details as excerpted from the most comprehensive airgun book ever published-
.22 BSA Lightning spring-piston break-barrel, with gas-ram conversion
14.5gr Eley Wasp, 14 shot string- Low= 626, Hi= 648, ES= 22, SD= 6, Avg= 637/13.1
14.3gr Crosman Premier, 10 shot string- Low= 649, Hi= 662, ES= 13, SD= 3, Avg= 655/13.6
.177 BSA Lightning XL spring-piston break-barrel
8.45gr JSB Exact, 20 shot string- Low= 799, Hi= 813, ES= 14, SD= 4, Avg= 806/12.2
.22 BSA Lightning XL spring-piston carbine, lube-tuned, courtesy of Sean Holbeche
15.9gr JSB Exact, 5 shot string- Low= 637, Hi= 644, ES= 7, SD= 3, Avg= 640/14.5
.177 BSA Lightning XL SE spring-piston break-barrel
7.9gr JSB Express, 10 shot string- Low= 887, Hi= 890, ES= 3, SD= 1, Avg= 888/13.8
8.4gr JSB Exact, 10 shot string- Low= 836, Hi= 845, ES= 9, SD= 2, Avg= 840/13.2
.22 BSA Lightning spring-piston break-barrel, with gas-ram conversion
14.5gr Eley Wasp, 14 shot string- Low= 626, Hi= 648, ES= 22, SD= 6, Avg= 637/13.1
14.3gr Crosman Premier, 10 shot string- Low= 649, Hi= 662, ES= 13, SD= 3, Avg= 655/13.6
.177 BSA Lightning XL spring-piston break-barrel
8.45gr JSB Exact, 20 shot string- Low= 799, Hi= 813, ES= 14, SD= 4, Avg= 806/12.2
.22 BSA Lightning XL spring-piston carbine, lube-tuned, courtesy of Sean Holbeche
15.9gr JSB Exact, 5 shot string- Low= 637, Hi= 644, ES= 7, SD= 3, Avg= 640/14.5
.177 BSA Lightning XL SE spring-piston break-barrel
7.9gr JSB Express, 10 shot string- Low= 887, Hi= 890, ES= 3, SD= 1, Avg= 888/13.8
8.4gr JSB Exact, 10 shot string- Low= 836, Hi= 845, ES= 9, SD= 2, Avg= 840/13.2
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