BSA Lightning XL recoil = usless groups

[19shot 0]

I bought a BSA Lightning XL Tactical .117 last saturday after setting up the scope i tryed zeroing it starting at 10 yards and the plan was to eventually zero at 35 the groups were terrible now im not new to shooting and know that spring air rifles need time to break in and that technigue and follow trough and all that stuff are important and untill i can shoot an 1 inch group at 35 i wont attempt to hunt anything ive tryed everything after about 1500 shots ive put it down to the recoil.I know that follow trough is needed because the spring generates vibrations that move the barrel as the pellet travels trough the barrel.Im used to Recoil and know how to handel it as i have a .22lr .17 hmr and a .223rem.I would like to know if any other people have experienced this and weather the recoil will some how become less of a problem or weather a Theoden gasram would be the answer would it realy solve the accuracey problem.

[tote 854]

It was my intention to wait and read other replies before I commented as I have read numerous times how good these Lightnings are.There are however no comments.

 

Last summer my mate bought a Lightning Tactical in .177 calibre. We went out to try to zero it and I was amazed by the recoil,the word I kept using at the time was "harsh".It had been a long time since I had last shot a springer but coudn't remember them being as bad [recoil] as that Lightning was.

 

We spent a long time trying to get a grouping but I have to admit it was beyond us.After reading so many glowing reports on this and other forums about the Lightning I was begining to think my mates gun was the exception rather than the rule. Seems not as you are having/finding the same problems that we had/found.

[Malt 379]

Have you been shooting PCP's by any chance?

 

I've never shot a Lightning before, so I can't really comment, but what's the weight of the gun like?

 

If it's light, it could explain why you're noticing the recoil a bit more, but then the recoil on a springer shouldn't really be that great, as the movement of the spring going forward, should go some way to counteracting the recoil.

 

Maybe it needs a bit longer to shoot in?

[badoosh 1]

i bought a lightning a recently after having a webley stingray

read all the reports,how good etc

it was nearly new and couldn't get it to group to save my life

just when you thought you'd zeroed it in

then you you'd get loads of flyers

sold it soon after,just couldn't get a long with it

nice looking gun,but put me off BSA,just my preference

maybe it had something to do with it being new and needed breaking in(bit like yours 19shot

plus my lad couldn't cock it,as i said sold it,and bought him a ratcatcher,does him well

[Geoff.C 0]

Sorry to hear about the grouping problems on some Lightnings. I have recommended them myself, since my mate bought a new-ish one.

At 15 yards and using a rest while setting up, it was soon making 5p piece size groups consistently. It's a .177 and neither noise or recoil seemed out of the ordinary.

[Headshot08 36]

Had the same problem mate, changed the lot, from how i held the gun to the scope and pellets, conditions EVERYTHING was bloody useless so i sold the things and got a much better rifle.

 

Must have got a lemon...

 

 

Steve

[Deker 3,478]

I bought a BSA Lightning XL Tactical .117 last saturday after setting up the scope i tryed zeroing it starting at 10 yards and the plan was to eventually zero at 35 the groups were terrible now im not new to shooting and know that spring air rifles need time to break in and that technigue and follow trough and all that stuff are important and untill i can shoot an 1 inch group at 35 i wont attempt to hunt anything ive tryed everything after about 1500 shots ive put it down to the recoil.I know that follow trough is needed because the spring generates vibrations that move the barrel as the pellet travels trough the barrel.Im used to Recoil and know how to handel it as i have a .22lr .17 hmr and a .223rem.I would like to know if any other people have experienced this and weather the recoil will some how become less of a problem or weather a Theoden gasram would be the answer would it realy solve the accuracey problem.

 

There is no recoil from a .22LR and a HMR, and next to none from a .223 so you can't be used to it. That's the first thing anyone used to a springer says when they fire a .22LR... "theres no recoil at all"

 

The Lightning is dramatically different in feel to any of the above, and you will never get the accuracy from a 12ft air rifle as you will from any of the above.

 

But yes, with practice and within it's limited range, you can get very accurate with a Lightning!!

[LJW 0]

I Bought a .177 lightenin xl a few years back as my first rifle to hunt with i cant make comparisons as id only had a handfull of shots with old rifles as a child, but i loved it! Zeroed at 35 yds i was barely through a tin of pellets before i was grouping sub 1 inch. I felt a real affinity for my baby and made a dent in the tree rat and woodie population for a while til it was stolen recently. Maybe its because i was new to shooting and moulded my style to the rifle, i dont know but i and the local vermin can confirm it was consistently accurate.

[Paperhanger 0]

Try and take 1 inch off main spring not so harsh now feet per second not much difference  only went down to Tony's light bit

[Borr 6,139]

I owned one for about 3hrs kicked like a mule and crap grouping , returned immediately, bought a PCP BSA can't even remember what they're called accurate gun but mags were crap, went back to theoben after that...

[philpot 5,005]

On 15/06/2023 at 08:56, Paperhanger said:

Try and take 1 inch off main spring not so harsh now feet per second not much difference  only went down to Tony's light bit

Welcome to the mad house.

I don't think he will take much notice as the thread was started  in 2008, dorment since then and I don't think he is on here any more.

Phil

[bigmac 97kt 13,800]

9 hours ago, philpot said:

Welcome to the mad house.

I don't think he will take much notice as the thread was started  in 2008, dorment since then and I don't think he is on here any more.

Phil

9 hours ago, philpot said:

Welcome to the mad house.

I don't think he will take much notice as the thread was started  in 2008, dorment since then and I don't think he is on here any more.

Phil

Lol

Wonder how long it took him to clean the barrel and use some good Pellets

[bigmac 97kt 13,800]

On 09/11/2008 at 22:49, Deker said:

 

There is no recoil from a .22LR and a HMR, and next to none from a .223 so you can't be used to it. That's the first thing anyone used to a springer says when they fire a .22LR... "theres no recoil at all"

 

The Lightning is dramatically different in feel to any of the above, and you will never get the accuracy from a 12ft air rifle as you will from any of the above.

 

But yes, with practice and within it's limited range, you can get very accurate with a Lightning!!

I'm sure Deker some think we are thick lol

17hmr, 22lr and 223 lol

[Deker 3,478]

On 15/06/2023 at 08:56, Paperhanger said:

Try and take 1 inch off main spring not so harsh now feet per second not much difference  only went down to Tony's light bit

?????????????

14 years on and a total of 3 posts from the OP....why dig this up???

[Deker 3,478]

14 hours ago, bigmac 97kt said:

I'm sure Deker some think we are thick lol

17hmr, 22lr and 223 lol

New member digs up a 14 year old thread for his 1 and only post!  

Must be a slow news day!!!!