BSA Lighting XL FAC

shot19

Im looking to buy a bsa lighting xl .177 with a power level over 12ft/lbs like a FAC rated model but cant find one.Is it normal to ask a local gun dealer to order a specific gun in or is that asking a bit much.

bunny shooter

If you're not trading in a gun I'd say you'd have no hassle. Ardee Sports have been appointed BSA distributors in Republic AFAIK

Vegeta

I have a BSA lightning in .22 and at 30ft/lbs it packs quite a punch for an air rifle.

As bunny points out ask your local firearms dealer to order you one, no big deal at all. It may be worth ringing Ardee to see if they have one in stock or what the delivery time is, your dealer will be getting it from them afterall.

quackquackBOOM

if your close to ardee you can go down and wiew it aswell

BryanL

Vegeta,
are you sure it's doing 30FT/LB i only thought there was one spring airgun that could get near that, a theoben, supposed to be a huge gun and that only did 28 FT/LB
i really didn't think the lightning was designed to go much over 12FT/LB.
the HW80 was designed as a full power springer and they only stretch to about 22 FT/LB
Bryan

Vegeta

As far as I am aware it is sold as 30 ft/lbs. Its a single shot PCP though not a springer. I don't have a chronograph to test it but I also had a 12 ft/lb logun MKII pro (multi shot PCP) and the difference in power was very very obvious.

foxshooter243

BryanL wrote: »

Vegeta,
are you sure it's doing 30FT/LB i only thought there was one spring airgun that could get near that, a theoben, supposed to be a huge gun and that only did 28 FT/LB
i really didn't think the lightning was designed to go much over 12FT/LB.
the HW80 was designed as a full power springer and they only stretch to about 22 FT/LB
Bryan

was the webley patriot not available at 28 ft/lbs?..my mate had one and he told me it was 28 ft/lb--beast of an air rifle:D

cut my teeth on an old webley mk 3 underlever myself back in the 60/s:)

Vegeta

BryanL wrote: »

Vegeta,
are you sure it's doing 30FT/LB i only thought there was one spring airgun that could get near that, a theoben, supposed to be a huge gun and that only did 28 FT/LB
i really didn't think the lightning was designed to go much over 12FT/LB.
the HW80 was designed as a full power springer and they only stretch to about 22 FT/LB
Bryan

Bryan, I owe you an apology, its a BSA Hornet we have not a Lightning. Sun must be cooking my brain.

BryanL

thats alright Vegeta,i was wrong on the theoben,the eliminator runs at 28 FT/Lb but i think theoben have a similar.

shot 19, .177 always run at lower power than .22's. most would say in a springer .177 is better at 12 FT/LB a few can go to higher power but not many in springers.

at higher power .22 is a better bet in a springer, best FAC(english term,since every airgun in Ireland is on an FAC) springers are Air Arms,TX200 and pro sport or HW97 or HW80
Bryan

shot19

Thanks for the help lads took a look at the theoben crusader which produces around 30ft/lbs looks perfect maybe a little heavy at 8lbs un scoped i just hope the BSA lighting FAC is up to the job any experienced air rifle hunters out there who could tell me how an air rifle like the BSA lighting performes on rabbit and crow eg range and killing power.

thehair

shot19 wrote: »

Thanks for the help lads took a look at the theoben crusader which produces around 30ft/lbs looks perfect maybe a little heavy at 8lbs un scoped i just hope the BSA lighting FAC is up to the job any experienced air rifle hunters out there who could tell me how an air rifle like the BSA lighting performes on rabbit and crow eg range and killing power.

you might need a fac for a air rifle have you ask your local fire arms office
about it. have you used any firearms in the past:)steve

It wasn't me!

thehair wrote: »

you might need a fac for a air rifle have you ask your local fire arms office
about it. have you used any firearms in the past:)steve

You will *most definitely* need a firearms cert for an air rifle.

Vegeta

shot19 wrote: »

Thanks for the help lads took a look at the theoben crusader which produces around 30ft/lbs looks perfect maybe a little heavy at 8lbs un scoped i just hope the BSA lighting FAC is up to the job any experienced air rifle hunters out there who could tell me how an air rifle like the BSA lighting performes on rabbit and crow eg range and killing power.

To be honest I would never take a shot beyond 40 yards with my 30ft/lb air rifle.

Shot placement has to be exact on any quarry you pursue.

I believe air rifles are more suited to environments which make rimfire unsuitable. They are a great tool around farm yards or stables.

milkerman

I owned a BSA Ligthning XL in .177 calibre for a very short while. The BSA website claimed 15ftlb in FAC for .177. My chrono actually showed 11.4 ftlb varying from one pellet to the next.
The gun was brand new. I have to say that the trigger was so bad as to be unsafe, the crosspin slides sidewards and retained the sear on one side of the trigger housing only. There are a few references to this problem on the web if you check it out.
The gun produced groups ranging from 40mm to 100mm depending on ammo used at 25m. This is probably a product of a BAD trigger.
Now maybe I got a pig, but the pig went back and was replaced by a Weihrauch 80 which cost 90euro more.
THe Weihrauch produces a MEASURED 14.8ftlb with H&N pellets - it's favourite. It groups sub 15mm at 25m if I am arsed to bother. It is built like a tank and is somewhat heavy but NICE!

Hunting with an air rifle is not about how much power you have - Its all about how much power you HIT YOUR QUARRY WITH. A 40mm group isnt good enough for head shots on magpies at 25m so forget about rabbits at 35-40m.

BryanL

hey milker,
did you get a .22 or .177?
you can get a V-mach kit for the HW80's that helps them shoot more smoothly and usually takes the .177 to 18 tf/lb or the .22 to 22ft/lb.
chopping the barrel and recrowning to about 13 inches can help reduce your group size too.
Bryan

thehair

BryanL wrote: »

hey milker,
did you get a .22 or .177?
you can get a V-mach kit for the HW80's that helps them shoot more smoothly and usually takes the .177 to 18 tf/lb or the .22 to 22ft/lb.
chopping the barrel and recrowning to about 13 inches can help reduce your group size too.
Bryan

bryan have a look and enjoy steve;)
http://www.nargc.ie/Upload/Docs/NARGC-FIREARMS-SAFETY-MANUAL.pdf

milkerman

HW80,
I have read about the various upgrades for this gun and they sound great but.... The gun works fine at the moment. Initially it was turning out greater kinetic energy but was also noisier with more recoil. At the moment it has settled comfortably into 'middle age' turning out reasonable power & accuracy. I wouldnt like to shorten the barrel cos it's hard enough to cock as it is! I can only imagine what it would be like with a stronger spring!
My gun is in .177. It is very picky about ammo. It does not like the lighter pellets producing lousy accuracy (still better than the BSA though). I think the higher velocity of the lighter pellet causes the pellet to 'jump' the rifling. Maybe I'm wrong but thats my theory.
On the general topic of hunting & power levels, there was a good article in one of the mags some months ago about the actual power required to kill a rabbit cleanly. THe conclusion was just 6-7ftlb at point of impact for a head shot. A .22 heavier pellet conserves its kinetic energy more efficiently than a .177 so in theory offers a cleaner kill. The 177 has a flatter trajectory though so it is MUCH EASIER to deliver the pellet to exactly the right spot on the head of the quarry.
I also have a HW97K. This gun looks so good I just had to have it. Not quite as strong as the 80 but will still kill at 35-40M & is VERY accurate.
If I was restricted to one gun though it would be an HW80 or perhaps a HW90
(maybe I should trial a 90, I am in buying mode. Is there one on a shelf out there looking for an owner?).