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-   -   BSA Lightning (http://airgunsforum.org/showthread.php?t=550)

Badmoets 04-01-2017 10:50 PM

BSA Lightning
 
Hi guys,

i seem to like odd airguns. Top end guns are not for me. Since i`ve been young i`m struggling airguns that just aren`t ít. Fellow shooters shrieking 'i can really hit anything with this gun! O yeah!' i looked upon with jealous feelings. When i got the chance to buy me one of those airguns that hit everything you aim at the gun bored me in an instant. It`s the struggle to aim and hit that keeps me shooting. I like every hit to be a surprise.

Since a few weeks i got an odd airgun. A BSA Lightning with a Theoben aftermarket gasram. I told a friend of mine i thought about buying a Lightning. My mate told me his was for sale too. I shot that gun some two years ago and i liked it. It didn`t cock after some shots. My mate took the gun home and the moment i wanted a Lightning his was in good shooting condition again. The gun`s not a sight for sore eyes to be true. It was blued again some time ago. No shiney mirror-like blueing, aux contraire! It looks kinda crappy.

The tactical stock gives it something nice. So i bought the gun.
http://i.imgur.com/uPThNvo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xRRhR7L.jpg

Some guy wrote a lot about the Lightning on the Dutch airgunboard. There`s many versions of the Lightning, some are made in Spain and some are made in the UK. Needless to say the UK Lightnings are the better ones. The XL, the XL SE, the XL GRT, the XL GRT SE, the SE, the XL SE Black and more.
Mine has got the UK trigger. Not the best trigger in de world, it`s got the feel of a Shinsung trigger- but i hate Gamo triggers dearly.
http://i.imgur.com/o9psm3x.jpg

The weakest point of the Lightning is the cocking rod. The cocking rod on the Spanish Lightnings are made of chewing gum and plastic. De UK versions are made of solid steel. That`s better.
http://i.imgur.com/G3dGX1A.jpg

Here are the Spanish cocking rods.
http://i.imgur.com/PZlgNUB.jpg

Mine`s a combination of Spanish and English steel. I had to do some welding to make it work and durable.
http://i.imgur.com/cs8O1hd.jpg

Did i ever mention that Imgur is my friend? I hate Photobucket for what they`ve done. Fuckers!
To be continued.

Best, Badmoets

Badmoets 04-01-2017 11:36 PM

Lightning
 
This Lightning is a .177. Barrels for these guns are available and cheap. Mark Knibbs sells `m for some 85 bucks. With the gasram the Lightning is a bit underpowered to consider a .22 barrel.
http://i.imgur.com/Tk1xTZn.jpg

The barrel is chamfered to make it less pelletpicky.
http://i.imgur.com/27vSVKa.jpg

A huge closing latch. It works well. Lotsa dirt `n` grease.
http://i.imgur.com/uB5Kznj.jpg

No bolt to keep the barrel in its place. BSA uses pins to keep the gun together. That`s one of the reasons i sold my first Lightning. I think it`s odd. Why not just use bolts?
http://i.imgur.com/0rHsphw.jpg

The Lightning has got BSA`s Maxi Grip scoperail. Underneath the rail are two rubber strips. Seems to work like the famous Dampamount.
http://i.imgur.com/IW0XDLh.jpg

'There are some things babe i just can`t swallow, momma told me that girls are hollow' is a line Lux Interior (RIP) from the Cramps sang but it`s not only girls that are hollow. It`s airgun stocks too!
http://i.imgur.com/CnZrMrk.jpg

To be continued.......

Badmoets 04-01-2017 11:45 PM

By the way, it`s not only girls and BSA stocks are hollow. The Volumetric silencer of the Lightning is hollow too!
http://i.imgur.com/VqK7chs.jpg

A few weeks ago i shot the Lightning of a fellow shooter. He tod me he had a Lightning stock lying around. Wanna buy it? Sure thing. It took some work to get the stock to fit. It looks good.
http://i.imgur.com/N0pz2NM.jpg

I think i like wooden stocks more than synthetic stocks.

http://i.imgur.com/ouaL10D.jpg

Next wednesday i`m taking the BSA to the moist, cold and sinister shooting range. I can`t seem to get in the chat of this board.......too bad!

Best, Roel

grumpy 04-02-2017 09:38 AM

Very cool and informative post sir. Cannot wait to hear how she shoots.

What sort of problems are you having getting in to chat. We sure miss you in there. Feel free to send me a message. Will be glad to try and help.

Dave

Badmoets 04-23-2017 07:56 PM

Hi,

i am using this Lightning for plinking. At our range -the dirty, dark, moist and sinister range ya all heard about i hope- offers some good plinking facilities. Wile the gun is a bit underpowered it`s no big deal to hit 1" targets at 50 meters.

Since it has the wooden stock it is easier to shoot, it gained some weight and that seems to make the handling of the gun less nervous. I`m shooting 8.4 JSB`s with it. It`s not a gun that you gonna shoot world`s best groups with, that`s for sure. The shot cycle is marvelous.

The trigger needs some work. There`s a spring missing between the trigger and the sear and it has no first stage. It`s like a Career III 300 trigger now. Kinda direct. End of this week the stock is going to some wood sorcerer the cut out the cheekpiece to make it adjustable. Like he did with my AA TX200HC.
http://i.imgur.com/wcmKmvg.jpg

All my springers have a white spacer. Looks good on any gun. I have a few meters of roof gutter in my shed, i cut out a piece and start filing like a maniac. All my springers have a piece of roof gutter. :rolleyes:

http://i.imgur.com/FoOMXqx.jpg

When the work on the stock is done i`ll show ya the results.

Take care.

Best regards.

Roel aka Fokke Mol http://fokkemol.weebly.com/

Badmoets 05-06-2017 07:43 PM

Hi,

this afternoon, when i got home from the dirty, dark, moist and sinister shootingrange, there was a package waiting for me.

The BSA Lightning stock with adjustable cheeckpiece.
http://i.imgur.com/w3UE2S8.jpg

Looking good! Doncha agree?
http://i.imgur.com/xnJ2Mh8.jpg

The stock modification gives the Lightning a complete different appearance. I like it!
http://i.imgur.com/RXbLNba.jpg

Best.

Roel aka Fokke Mol http://fokkemol.weebly.com/

grumpy 05-06-2017 10:21 PM

Looks great Roel !

By the way, are you still unable to get in to the chat room ?

Dave

Badmoets 05-07-2017 12:28 AM

Hiya Dave,

sure looks great!

I`ve been in the chat a few times and i`ll be there every now & then.

Take care oldtimer. We`ll be in touch. :cool:

Geoffrey_K 05-07-2017 03:26 PM

looking very nice .. thanks for showing the photos


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