Andy, I’m 75yrs old & love listening to your straightforward revues . . . . I’ve been a firearms licence holder on & off since I was 18yrs old including full bore handguns before Hamilton & Ryan until got them banned . . . keep it up Andy, it’s good that you include Mrs AAR from time to time.
I can’t remember seeing you ever bursting out with laughter over a break barrel. Or enjoying one so much. Like you said why wouldn’t you have one in your collection. And they just get smoother and more accurate. Superb gun
Thanks for posting and reviewing! I own the GRT Version in .22 version for 5 years now. It is realy a nice airgun and had no regrets ever buying it. I also own a HW 35 and HW 90 from Weihrauch wich are also great guns. Greatings from The Netherlands.
I have the hw 35 in 1.77 and love it but it's noisy lol so don't use for hunting . I use my AAS410 carbine for that And thinking of GRT in .22 👍👍👍😜🏴🦄🦕😁✌🤞
I own both .22 & .177 springer versions in the USA. The .177 is over 900 fps and I haven't cronied the .22 . Expect 700+. Excellent rifles with enough oomph for small game. Buy one.
I think my sons rifle was HW75 or HW77 at 78 my memory isn’t that good but then 22years. My brother in law fired 1 shot and hit the bull, dead centre he said I won’t try again because I won’t beat that. Then he said he was classed marksman in the KSLI. Put me in my place, uncle John couldn’t be bettered. Until my son wanted a car. lol.
I once had this break barrel GRT, in a synthetic stock, I didnt get on at all with it, I swapped it for a HW99s for just over £200, solid construction, very accurate with a quality scope and a faux moderator as an anti barrel flip weight. I now also own a HW57, a lighter weight underlever as well
I’ve had one for 4 years it’s the GRT version everything about it is excellent blueing is black probably nitrate and it’s 10/10 . the stock is a Monte Carlo and it’s excellent too. Right or left I shoot both. and after a while it gets even smoother Andy never mentioned how nice it feels and sounds when the barrel snaps shut with a lovely clunk click, rock solid and tight. some say the trigger is a bit heavy they should buy a girls gun, because its near perfect, It feels and looks like it should have cost twice what I paid. It’s a beautiful carbine. Mine has put 10 pellets through the same hole at twenty yards. And it is genuinely has good as my TX200hc The only thing I don’t understand is what took you so long to review this fantastic rifle. After 4 years of owning it. Myself and two friends who bought them at the same time Still can’t believe how good they are. and what we got for our money. I was so impressed I bought the rest of the bsa range One of the best kept secrets in shooting. I really is this good.
What calabier do you own? I have just purchased this rifle in .177with some jsb exact 8.44 grain pellets. Im reading alot of mixed reviews on this rifle so I'm a little unsure now haha.
Undoubtedly one of the best looking air rifles ever. That stock and the short length just look wonderful. I think I would keep things simple and have the steel spring version. I am suspicious of gas rams.
I own the GRT Version in .177 and it's a fine gun. You would shoot it even better with your non trigger hand on the rest bag under the forend. This goes for most springers and gas ram rifles fixed or break barrel. Use it as if you were shooting freehand and your groups will tighten up noticably. 👍😎
Love springers and have just ordered another; a Weirauch 97k. I must say that the quality of air rifles available is generally excellent and these new guns from BSA are no exception.
Just purchased a Lightning SE, absolutely loving it, such a good quality gun and I got it brand new for £250, real bargain, please keep us the good work
Hi Andy, Good honest review. Thank you! I own the XLSE springer and love it. No problems or malfunctions. Makes a great pest and small game gun which I am able to hunt with here in Pennsylvania, USA. Mine is the .22 caliber and is not fussy on pellets.
Greetings from Argentina. As you know, BSA belongs to GAMO Group. That's why the RRR accessory is added to the scope mounting. Anyway, beautiful rifles. Piece of Art ... !
I have the springer version myself and i love it. Big fan of BSA as a brand so this is one that i will not part with and will remain in my collection for years to come :) Great to hear someone else other then myself's thoughts on these. Cheers Andy.
@@tjsmite Hi mate. I got mine from Solware in Tamworth, the package i got totalled £415 and included a good quality; Hawke Scope, mounts, rifle bag and pellets. Very helpful in there and large variety of stock. Well worth a trip if you are in the West Mids area. ..... Louis
I can vouch for the accuracy of the BSA air rifles having owned one since 1954 i e 68 years. My experience is of absolute accuracy consistently delivered. The gun still shoots beautifully. Over the years it is the one which I complete faith in. Of course one would not go hunting antelope with such gun. I used it often for destroying rats and other small varmints around the farmyard.
I just bought the GRT version (23/5/2024) at £300 after watching this video, you are absolutely correct a very well made and capable rifle. I bought the all black rifle which has a rubber coating, even better than the one you showcased. Thanks for your review it was very informative and helpful to me.
Great stuff Andy, always a pleasure. You should definitely get yourself one for the collection, time spent shooting a springer (or a gas-ram) is never wasted, it tightens up your PCP shooting like nothing else.
As a total newbie at 64 years young, I’m growing more towards a break barrel traditional looking air rifle. There’s something beautiful about the simplicity, and traditional look. I guess once you buy one, you then want a PCP also, but it seems perfect for a first ever air rifle. (The GRT especially) Maybe your enthusiasm is catching, but I can see why people get into the sport. In a complex world there’s something simple and absorbing about shooting targets, as one might at the fairground rifle shoot stalls throughout childhood perhaps.
Had a BSA Lightning in .22 for many years, and it came with a 3-9x40 scope already fitted. Took lots and lots of rabbits with it. Head shots with hollow points were deadly. Haven’t used it for a while, think the barrel needs a good clean.
bought a the XL GRT just before my father passed, so obviously it has sentimental value, but speaking objectively it is remarkably accurate, its a little on the heavy side so free hand shooting at range is a no go for me, but from a rest its lovely HOWEVER. the shroud is NOT a moderator. it has no baffles. it doesnt deaden sound at all. however baffles can be added to the shroud and makes it a little quieter. gas ram does make the gun a little quieter imo.
Very good little budget rifles, I own the BSA Lighting XL Tactical and am amazed at its accuracy and power delivery, I use the Powerpell pellets from Webley in .22, they make a very good combination. Also a couple of decades ago I put a Theoben Gasram in my old BSA Lightning, standard, using Accupell .22's and that was also a very good combination, can't fault a BSA. They both wore a 3-9 x 40 mid range scope.
I love my GRT version, I’ve owned it for about 2 years. I bought it because I wanted to get back into shooting after a long time away from this fun hobby. I’m glad you liked this gun also Andy 👍
I just got the black version of the Grt Lightning in .22 after watching this review and am absolutely loving it. I love my Gamo gx40 pcp but springers are more fun which is why I've also bought the Maxxim elite.
May I ask why you say "springers are more fun"? I own a 1980's BSA METEOR Super Mk5 (springer) which I bought new and am looking at the GRT BSA Lightening against a possible Gamo GX-40.
I have just sold my shotguns, surrendered my licence and bought both of these, they are way more fun and feel luxurious. Found your review amazing and informative. Keep up the good work 😊
An honest alternative experience: I had two GRT`s and could never recommend them. These rifles are undoubtedly beautiful to look at and hold. However, the shroud, definitely not a silencer, hides a very short barrel. I can't give the measurements but I was unpleasantly surprised when the shroud came loose and I found an air pistol inside. The trigger is nothing special. Now to the real issues I had. The first rifle after putting through no more than a dozen Pellets suddenly refused to engage when cocking. This made it totally inoperable. I took it back to the dealership, and a replacement GRT was order from BSA. This arrived after a few weeks, but now finally having a chance to test it's accuracy, I couldn't get the rifle to group with anywhere near the accuracy I expected. I kept the rifle for about four months primarily because I loved the look of it, but that was obviously pointless. And here is the final insult. I took it to two local dealers to sell it. Both did a crono test and both told me it was only functioning at 9ft lb. I got £120 for it. In the end I put my £120 towards a Weihrauch HW99s. The newly styled Weihrauch is also beautiful to look at, it feels well balanced, is accurate and is even cheaper. It's nice to be patriotic, but who wants a sheep in wolf's clothing. I am a Springer man, and among my other rifles I also have an Air Arms Pro Sport, so I know what we should all expect.
I too had a not-so-great experience with what was admittedly an earlier model, but still a lightning GRT. The short barrel being almost completely shrouded (as you rightly pointed out) meant that after a few months of moderate shooting and reloading, the shroud worked loose and no amount of turning of the screw or loctite-ing it down would tighten it sufficiently to stop the shroud from rattling. This led not only to an annoying rattle, but ultimately a loss of accuracy as the shroud was so much a part of the barrel that it would wander when being shot. I took it back to the dealer who was actually very understanding and gave me a replacement (still the same older model) which admittedly did last quite a bit longer, just shy of a year if I remember rightly, but then developed exactly the same issue. Another trip back to the dealer and the purchase of an Air Arms TX200 and I've never looked back. Its a shame really because when the Lightning was shooting, it was an absolute laserbeam and the compact package and overall fit and finish barring the barrel shroud was superb, I can only hope its something they've worked on with this newer itteration
I had the HW99 and it was an awful rifle, the barrel wasn't level it scored a big groove in the stock and made an awful twang, the dealer wouldn't take it back at first saying it was a design fault, he then offered to get it 'put right' at an extra cost, i refused and demanded my money back which he gave me a full refund, then admitted it was a common fault, he said he would repair and tune it, i said what will that entail, he laughed saying remove the swarf from the piston first.
I have owned a .177 XL SE , which looked fantastic, I even worked on the trigger to get rid of the 2nd stage creep, tried loads of different pellets but still couldn't get it to group under an inch consistently past 25y , I'm a Huge springer fan so know how to shoot them and can get under 5p groups at 35y with my walther LGU . but just couldn't get on with the lighting had no confidence in it past 20 yards .
Hi Andy. Thankyou for this review on the XL se. I've owned the Springer version for around a year and I've got to say... It's my favourite rifle. I own an ultimate sporter, r10se and an ultra se. Yes all my pcps are easier to shoot and dare I say more accurate at longer distances but none of them give me a greater sense of achievement when pest hunting or a greater smile on my face when I shoot that perfect shot! Thankyou again and keep it up!
Andy,,what about the side to side barrel wobble then,? I had several meteors with the same barrel and breach assembly but one new one i had for two days the barrel came off in me hand,,and the one i got back from BSA was a .22 smooth bore ,? Eh !
I bought a Lightning GRT last year, and it is absolutely superb. Love the looks and the build quality is well above what you would expect for the price tag.
@@Granto-ni9qw everytime someone mentions an air rifle online, you can guarantee someone will pop up and say "Get a Weihrauch!", it's like a religion. Personally I've always liked BSA guns and really like the GRT, looks great, quality is great. And it shoots well enough for me to enjoy using it. Weihrauch just trades on the myth of German Engineering - German Boasting more like 😂
@@EricTViking hi bud BSA r no longer English made ,, grt is 350 pounds can buy a hw 95k for that it was just what my local gun shop said about the BSA I do like them etc but no way for the price they are grt is same as 95k
Well done for recognising the financial struggles out there. 👍👍👍 it’s going to be a while until I get my hands on the S510 tactical but there are people with bigger problems out there. Great show, top work. Can’t wait for the next video. I enjoy watching them!
Hi Andy, have always loved BSA, not just the heritage but the quality of the products they produce and attention to detail makes me feel all patriotic,my first proper air rifle was a brand new BSA mercury and it was amazing 🤩 it cost £67 in 1982 I remember shooting a duck with a perfect head shot from 40 yards away on water, extremely accurate rifle I loved it.thanks for the review Andy 👍 lovely rifles ATB Dave
I can't understand all the haters. It's a cracking little rifle for the price, and I guess it's like any other tool. It's only as good as the person using it
@matthewbishop9342 there is no problem if it has steel sights,,thats the way they were in my day,,but if you put a scope on the SE it will not be good as the barrel boss is so slim it cant register the same every time you cock it ,its a half round furrow cut in a little boss,,christ i had a one in the early seventies which came off in my hand ,,,a day old,,they used to be brazed on ,,but the boss is now power welded ,,thing is the size of the boss is still the same,,,no good for a scope,,, and will mot register unless the barrel boss is wider and deeper,,,lool at Weiraucj,,Walther,,,Diana ,,,Remington,,,just about anything,,
@matthewbishop9342 did you use a scope ,,? As with steel sights it would make little problems,but a scope ain't fitted to the barrel,,which dont seem to center every cock,,
I have the GRT in 177 , I think it's a truely great little sporter , but the barrel is somewhat pellet fussy . I'm a big gas ram fan , due to having Theoben air rifles . I highly recommend this little gun its a beauty. Totally agree with the review ... Keep up the good work , really enjoy the channel . Thanks .
Hi Andy, I watched your video on the Springfield armory M1A. I PURCHASED ONE FROM E BAY it's a heavy rifle, but it's accurate out of the box. I love it!
@@simonnoble7589 Not if you need to grab a rifle at short notice to sort a rat, crow, or other pesky thing and you don't need the faff of charging a PCP.
Don’t have these here , they do have the Gamo bone collector which is close.. Gamo says they are part of BSA .. I have to ask my supplier if they will be getting them in AOA . Thanks Andy for the latest and greatest first reviews! 😎👍🏻
Good morning Andy. I'm pleased to say I'm a lightening owner. Well the original with a shorter suppressor. It's never let me down. But I've been thinking of an upgrade but now maybe not lol.
I've had the BSA Scorpion for about 17 years now. and I would never get rid of it, the rifle is superb and never lets me down. with a Weirauch silencer on it, it's sublime and accurate as you could ever wish for, I was at a company right next door to BSA in Armoury rd 2 days ago. I wouldn't buy anything else
And some long term users have reported wobble in the barrel as there's only a split pin holing it in place as opposed to screw's on a hw95k that you can adjust
I have the Springer version and find it very pellet specific so worth doing some experimentation. Also keep some Allen Keys handy as it does shoot loose after a while. Enjoy the reviews; thanks.
one thing to add.. being nitrogen filled the ram is not affected by differing ambient temperatures the gas doesn't expand nor contract in hot or cold conditions...
Brilliant concept, I’ve owned a couple of rifles with gas filled pistons , both were awesome to start with! Both leaked within two years. Might give this one a go….
The only problem is ; this ban of lead is going to affect 1.77 shooters more so than .22 and 25’s unless some clever company can make alloy pellets of a similar weight or i would guess more 1.77’s would go supersonic. We’re all going to have to narrow our range whatever calibre we’re using. Any thoughts more than welcome.
Hi Andy Many thanks for another great informative video!!! I have an idea for another video. How about doing a review of which is the best 1911 co2 pistol replica. May be comparing 5 or 6 1911's. Fire arm 1911's are massively popular in the good old USofA. Given that due to draconian gun laws, the best we can hope for is a replica co2 1911. But which is the best and which one should I buy.... I think this would be a popular topic and will hopefully answer the question, which one (or more😁) should I buy.... Thanks Andy. Love Channel and thank you so much to Mrs AA on air for allowing you time away from her to bring us the latest news and views from the world of Air guns.
I suppose that gas rams are a fourth catagory of powering an airgun; spring, pneumatic,gas and gas ram.The only problem I forsee with the gas ram is the equivalent of changing the spring when it wears out.A spring you can do yourself but a gas ram?
Good break barrels, I tuned a spring version and it was lovely to shoot, under 11ftbs is perfect for non fac, hw99s shoots way better imo and much better build quality.
Thnx fo the review Andy...indeed as Garry stated; a pity they didn't put the Gamo magzine on it....Blye me hat orange shirt looks nice...is it a hint to cheer for our Dutch national pride this winter?
I've had both of these. They look fantastic, build quality is good. But triggers on both were horrible, very heavy and lots of creep. You never knew when it was going to let go and it affected accuracy. Both of mine went to the gunsmiths to have trigger sears polished and were great when they come back. Light and crisp and made gun as accurate as anything else I have. My top tip. Sort the trigger to make a good gun great 👍
Good video the HRT seems nice and light and at a price to get into the sport. I am not sure I would buy a springer now I have made the PCP change however, I did keep my HW97k for emergencies!
Great to see a pair of British rifles, I have the lightning se which I bought last year and it’s so dam accurate and have used it many times for pest control when I’ve felt like going back to my roots and having a bit of fun with a springer. I chose the SE simply as I preferred the look over the XL knowing that both rifles will perform just as well it was just my preferred choice and nothing more and maybe in time Andy will bring a pair of of the lightning se’s in the future for another comparison as he’s done with the XL’s. Great video Andy looking forward to next Friday for the next.
Great review Andy . Yeah not much of a springer / gas ram man myself but I must admit I quite like these. The speed their kicking out the lighter alloy pellets is moving more towards fac speeds. 🤪. Gonna try some alloy pellets in my vulcan 3 and see what their saying over my chrono. Have a great weekend Andy . Love your work as always . 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Good to see that at last BSA have offered a gas ram option on the Lightning. I bought Theobens original Sirroco many years ago, and all it has needed was a new breech seal and gas ram, it it still shoots very smoothly. Theoben's were never low cost, and this prevented them from entering the mass market, the rest is history. I am a fan of Gas Ram, springers need too much maintenance, and loose power if left cocked for that instant shot. Re the manual safety, that is a plus point for me, i have missed many shots due to the automatic ones. Thanks for reveiwing this gun Andy, i will check one out soon.
@@ThomasDoubting5 They were perfectionists, the guns were very made to a very high standard, this made them too expensive for a lot of shooters. I joined a waiting list for mine, despite the high price, they were in demand at the time, but as you say the company sadly closed.
Me and my brother both have grt's and the trigger is shockingly bad we have been looking for sum way to modify or replace it for a different one completely but haven't been able to find anything the gun is really good apart from that
Hi Andy, I have a place in my heart for the BSA's my first one cost me around £16 a 2.2 Super Meteor pretty new on the market back then, I understand springers nneed to bed in but after talkiing to one of the guys from Theoben way back in the day I was under the impression the Gas Ram system was pretty much at full power from the word go or would that just be the Sirocco and such like or maybe I'm getting senile 😀 Love the Channel 👍👍
Great review. Have they changed the GRT recently ? I had one in 22 with a black tactical stock. It was terrible, couldn't group at all and that was after finding mounts that fitted correctly. Others agreed at the time. This review and the Alpha Militaria one were 177 and show good results? Was it me ? Was it the gun ? I swapped mine for a HW99s and that is spot on 🤔
I had a Webley VMX when I started plinking again. £175 all in with a scope. Consistently registered 11.4 ft IBS. Well made, accurate and a bargain. 🙂🙂👍👍
I have never had the luck of air pistons lasting as long as my mechanical springs. Maybe at least here in the states they are over pressurized? 150bar seems like a lot. Some I believe can be altered (de-tuned) but not like the ones that Theoben had.
Nice review, I bought that grt from kieth sports in saltburn I took it straight to a spot near Whitby I go and I could not group it at all! And hated the kick when fired. Yep I took it straight back and got a refund and immediately rang bagnel sports at Newcastle ask him if he had a hw95k in 177 and he said yes so I told him not to shut shop IME setting from Redcar in my camper and bought it shuved a hawk scope on it and it group nearly pellet on pellet at 25 yards with jsb exacts. Best thing I ever did was get rid of that BSA and buy the 95k
Nice video thanks for the honesty i like lightnings but I don't like how every other review says the lightning are great but I've had 5 of them all gamo made new version and all horrible triggers violent to shoot around 9.5 - 10 ftlb not 11.5 as it ought to be and very difficult to be accurate with
I used to love my springers then I got a air arms s410 3 times lol I will never go back to springers , my next buy is going to be a brocock sniper XR laminate or the brocock Sahara not sure yet but it’s going to be one of the two
Nice review. I'm just about to push the button on one of these, but I'll *still* have to flip a coin on the "GRT or Tradition" choice, because I do like to feel a bit of recoil. Nice to see that both guns are tolerant of large PCP-only "green" pellets, thinking of the future.
Hi, I have a few questions How far should I keep my targets when plinking. How many shots does green gas give before needing to reload. What's the highest shot per gas reload gun? I'm looking to eep shooting without needing to fill up
I love your revers Andy all sensible except for the odd pop gun but it gives me a smile so no problem there . As someone who has been shooting for sixty five years section 1 and two and I own quite a lot of air guns to just for fun . My interest nowadays is trying to restore a air gun on yesterday . It would be lovely if now and then you could do a review on an air rifle from years gone by . Dave from Hants Ps if you need to find an old classic get in touch .
Andy, I’m 75yrs old & love listening to your straightforward revues . . . . I’ve been a firearms licence holder on & off since I was 18yrs old including full bore handguns before Hamilton & Ryan until got them banned . . . keep it up Andy, it’s good that you include Mrs AAR from time to time.
I have an older lightning, over 20 years now and still enjoy using it 👍👍
I have owned the GRT for over five years. After an initial set-up, it is superbly accurate and has never needed adjustment since. Highly recommended.
How many shots does it need to bed in
@@paulrobinson7156normally 1 to 2
@@paulrobinson7156 I have both .177 & .22 With metal springs, stock. Both are accurate. Just keep the screws tight !
As an old git, I am a springer shooter - been contemplating a BSA Lightning, you've convinced me 👍
How did you get on? I’m getting 2” groups at 30m. Trading for a HW90k
I can’t remember seeing you ever bursting out with laughter over a break barrel. Or enjoying one so much. Like you said why wouldn’t you have one in your collection. And they just get smoother and more accurate. Superb gun
Thanks for posting and reviewing! I own the GRT Version in .22 version for 5 years now. It is realy a nice airgun and had no regrets ever buying it. I also own a HW 35 and HW 90 from Weihrauch wich are also great guns. Greatings from The Netherlands.
I have the hw 35 in 1.77 and love it but it's noisy lol so don't use for hunting . I use my AAS410 carbine for that
And thinking of GRT in .22
👍👍👍😜🏴🦄🦕😁✌🤞
I own one too! Love it and will never sell it.
I own both .22 & .177 springer versions in the USA. The .177 is over 900 fps and I haven't cronied the .22 . Expect 700+. Excellent rifles with enough oomph for small game. Buy one.
I think my sons rifle was HW75 or HW77 at 78 my memory isn’t that good but then 22years. My brother in law fired 1 shot and hit the bull, dead centre he said I won’t try again because I won’t beat that. Then he said he was classed marksman in the KSLI.
Put me in my place, uncle John couldn’t be bettered. Until my son wanted a car. lol.
I once had this break barrel GRT, in a synthetic stock, I didnt get on at all with it, I swapped it for a HW99s for just over £200, solid construction, very accurate with a quality scope and a faux moderator as an anti barrel flip weight.
I now also own a HW57, a lighter weight underlever as well
Andy one of the traits to firing a springer is to not have it resting on a hard surface. Either rest it on your hand or a bean bag.
I own a BSA Meteor .177 that I bought in 1972. I chrono it last year and it still made 360 fps.
I’ve had one for 4 years it’s the GRT version everything about it is excellent blueing is black probably nitrate and it’s 10/10 . the stock is a Monte Carlo and it’s excellent too. Right or left I shoot both.
and after a while it gets even smoother Andy never mentioned how nice it feels and sounds when the barrel snaps shut with a lovely clunk click, rock solid and tight. some say the trigger is a bit heavy they should buy a girls gun, because its near perfect,
It feels and looks like it should have cost twice what I paid.
It’s a beautiful carbine. Mine has put 10 pellets through the same hole at twenty yards. And it is genuinely has good as my TX200hc The only thing I don’t understand is what took you so long to review this fantastic rifle. After 4 years of owning it. Myself and two friends who bought them at the same time
Still can’t believe how good they are. and what we got for our money. I was so impressed I bought the rest of the bsa range
One of the best kept secrets in shooting. I really is this good.
What calabier do you own? I have just purchased this rifle in .177with some jsb exact 8.44 grain pellets. Im reading alot of mixed reviews on this rifle so I'm a little unsure now haha.
Undoubtedly one of the best looking air rifles ever. That stock and the short length just look wonderful. I think I would keep things simple and have the steel spring version. I am suspicious of gas rams.
I own the GRT Version in .177 and it's a fine gun. You would shoot it even better with your non trigger hand on the rest bag under the forend. This goes for most springers and gas ram rifles fixed or break barrel. Use it as if you were shooting freehand and your groups will tighten up noticably. 👍😎
Love springers and have just ordered another; a Weirauch 97k. I must say that the quality of air rifles available is generally excellent and these new guns from BSA are no exception.
Just purchased a Lightning SE, absolutely loving it, such a good quality gun and I got it brand new for £250, real bargain, please keep us the good work
Hi Andy, Good honest review. Thank you! I own the XLSE springer and love it. No problems or malfunctions. Makes a great pest and small game gun which I am able to hunt with here in Pennsylvania, USA. Mine is the .22 caliber and is not fussy on pellets.
Greetings from Argentina. As you know, BSA belongs to GAMO Group. That's why the RRR accessory is added to the scope mounting. Anyway, beautiful rifles. Piece of Art ... !
I have the springer version myself and i love it. Big fan of BSA as a brand so this is one that i will not part with and will remain in my collection for years to come :) Great to hear someone else other then myself's thoughts on these. Cheers Andy.
where did you get it from
@@tjsmite Hi mate. I got mine from Solware in Tamworth, the package i got totalled £415 and included a good quality; Hawke Scope, mounts, rifle bag and pellets. Very helpful in there and large variety of stock. Well worth a trip if you are in the West Mids area. ..... Louis
I can vouch for the accuracy of the BSA air rifles having owned one since 1954 i e 68 years. My experience is of absolute accuracy consistently delivered. The gun still shoots beautifully. Over the years it is the one which I complete faith in. Of course one would not go hunting antelope with such gun. I used it often for destroying rats and other small varmints around the farmyard.
I just bought the GRT version (23/5/2024) at £300 after watching this video, you are absolutely correct a very well made and capable rifle. I bought the all black rifle which has a rubber coating, even better than the one you showcased. Thanks for your review it was very informative and helpful to me.
i brought one when they first come out in .177 still got it still use it not even changed the internals still shoots as good as the day i got it
Great stuff Andy, always a pleasure. You should definitely get yourself one for the collection, time spent shooting a springer (or a gas-ram) is never wasted, it tightens up your PCP shooting like nothing else.
As a total newbie at 64 years young, I’m growing more towards a break barrel traditional looking air rifle. There’s something beautiful about the simplicity, and traditional look. I guess once you buy one, you then want a PCP also, but it seems perfect for a first ever air rifle. (The GRT especially) Maybe your enthusiasm is catching, but I can see why people get into the sport. In a complex world there’s something simple and absorbing about shooting targets, as one might at the fairground rifle shoot stalls throughout childhood perhaps.
Had a BSA Lightning in .22 for many years, and it came with a 3-9x40 scope already fitted. Took lots and lots of rabbits with it. Head shots with hollow points were deadly. Haven’t used it for a while, think the barrel needs a good clean.
bought a the XL GRT just before my father passed, so obviously it has sentimental value, but speaking objectively it is remarkably accurate, its a little on the heavy side so free hand shooting at range is a no go for me, but from a rest its lovely HOWEVER. the shroud is NOT a moderator. it has no baffles. it doesnt deaden sound at all. however baffles can be added to the shroud and makes it a little quieter. gas ram does make the gun a little quieter imo.
Very good little budget rifles, I own the BSA Lighting XL Tactical and am amazed at its accuracy and power delivery, I use the Powerpell pellets from Webley in .22, they make a very good combination. Also a couple of decades ago I put a Theoben Gasram in my old BSA Lightning, standard, using Accupell .22's and that was also a very good combination, can't fault a BSA. They both wore a 3-9 x 40 mid range scope.
I love my GRT version, I’ve owned it for about 2 years. I bought it because I wanted to get back into shooting after a long time away from this fun hobby. I’m glad you liked this gun also Andy 👍
I just got the black version of the Grt Lightning in .22 after watching this review and am absolutely loving it. I love my Gamo gx40 pcp but springers are more fun which is why I've also bought the Maxxim elite.
May I ask why you say "springers are more fun"? I own a 1980's BSA METEOR Super Mk5 (springer) which I bought new and am looking at the GRT BSA Lightening against a possible Gamo GX-40.
I have just sold my shotguns, surrendered my licence and bought both of these, they are way more fun and feel luxurious. Found your review amazing and informative. Keep up the good work 😊
An honest alternative experience:
I had two GRT`s and could never recommend them.
These rifles are undoubtedly beautiful to look at and hold. However, the shroud, definitely not a silencer, hides a very short barrel. I can't give the measurements but I was unpleasantly surprised when the shroud came loose and I found an air pistol inside. The trigger is nothing special.
Now to the real issues I had.
The first rifle after putting through no more than a dozen Pellets suddenly refused to engage when cocking. This made it totally inoperable. I took it back to the dealership, and a replacement GRT was order from BSA. This arrived after a few weeks, but now finally having a chance to test it's accuracy, I couldn't get the rifle to group with anywhere near the accuracy I expected. I kept the rifle for about four months primarily because I loved the look of it, but that was obviously pointless. And here is the final insult. I took it to two local dealers to sell it. Both did a crono test and both told me it was only functioning at 9ft lb. I got £120 for it.
In the end I put my £120 towards a Weihrauch HW99s. The newly styled Weihrauch is also beautiful to look at, it feels well balanced, is accurate and is even cheaper. It's nice to be patriotic, but who wants a sheep in wolf's clothing.
I am a Springer man, and among my other rifles I also have an Air Arms Pro Sport, so I know what we should all expect.
I too had a not-so-great experience with what was admittedly an earlier model, but still a lightning GRT.
The short barrel being almost completely shrouded (as you rightly pointed out) meant that after a few months of moderate shooting and reloading, the shroud worked loose and no amount of turning of the screw or loctite-ing it down would tighten it sufficiently to stop the shroud from rattling.
This led not only to an annoying rattle, but ultimately a loss of accuracy as the shroud was so much a part of the barrel that it would wander when being shot.
I took it back to the dealer who was actually very understanding and gave me a replacement (still the same older model) which admittedly did last quite a bit longer, just shy of a year if I remember rightly, but then developed exactly the same issue.
Another trip back to the dealer and the purchase of an Air Arms TX200 and I've never looked back.
Its a shame really because when the Lightning was shooting, it was an absolute laserbeam and the compact package and overall fit and finish barring the barrel shroud was superb, I can only hope its something they've worked on with this newer itteration
You arent alone. This was practically my experience too though I managed to get 200 back. We even bought the same game changing 99s'!
Funny. I'm very happy with my Weihrauch. It's a much better rifle.
I’ve owned my GRT for 5 or 6 years now, not a problem with it.
I had the HW99 and it was an awful rifle, the barrel wasn't level it scored a big groove in the stock and made an awful twang, the dealer wouldn't take it back at first saying it was a design fault, he then offered to get it 'put right' at an extra cost, i refused and demanded my money back which he gave me a full refund, then admitted it was a common fault, he said he would repair and tune it, i said what will that entail, he laughed saying remove the swarf from the piston first.
I love my BSA Guns, my Metior from the 1970s still works fine 50 years later! I think I may buy the new version after your presentation.
I have owned a .177 XL SE , which looked fantastic, I even worked on the trigger to get rid of the 2nd stage creep, tried loads of different pellets but still couldn't get it to group under an inch consistently past 25y , I'm a Huge springer fan so know how to shoot them and can get under 5p groups at 35y with my walther LGU . but just couldn't get on with the lighting had no confidence in it past 20 yards .
I have a .22 spring version. Great little air rifle. Can see a GRT one joining it soon.!
Had the XL for a good few years..wish I'd not got rid...great rifle
Hi Andy. Thankyou for this review on the XL se. I've owned the Springer version for around a year and I've got to say... It's my favourite rifle. I own an ultimate sporter, r10se and an ultra se. Yes all my pcps are easier to shoot and dare I say more accurate at longer distances but none of them give me a greater sense of achievement when pest hunting or a greater smile on my face when I shoot that perfect shot! Thankyou again and keep it up!
Andy,,what about the side to side barrel wobble then,? I had several meteors with the same barrel and breach assembly but one new one i had for two days the barrel came off in me hand,,and the one i got back from BSA was a .22 smooth bore ,? Eh !
Thanks Andy for a nice review on the BSA Rifles, A Joy to watch at 73 I might Just go for one.
Lovely to see you really enjoying shooting break barrels.
I bought a Lightning GRT last year, and it is absolutely superb. Love the looks and the build quality is well above what you would expect for the price tag.
Was told they r rubbish and buy a hw 95k ??
@@Granto-ni9qw everytime someone mentions an air rifle online, you can guarantee someone will pop up and say "Get a Weihrauch!", it's like a religion. Personally I've always liked BSA guns and really like the GRT, looks great, quality is great. And it shoots well enough for me to enjoy using it. Weihrauch just trades on the myth of German Engineering - German Boasting more like 😂
@@EricTViking hi bud BSA r no longer English made ,, grt is 350 pounds can buy a hw 95k for that it was just what my local gun shop said about the BSA I do like them etc but no way for the price they are grt is same as 95k
@@Granto-ni9qw yeah, Spanish I believe but still headquartered and designed in Brum. Mine was £315 new IIRC.
@@Granto-ni9qw Turkey.
Wow, you've proper sold out! I've never met anyone that rates these guns, including me and I've had 2. They're great looking though!
Thank you Andy! Both BSA's look great!
Well done for recognising the financial struggles out there. 👍👍👍 it’s going to be a while until I get my hands on the S510 tactical but there are people with bigger problems out there. Great show, top work. Can’t wait for the next video. I enjoy watching them!
love bsa guns
Hi Andy, have always loved BSA, not just the heritage but the quality of the products they produce and attention to detail makes me feel all patriotic,my first proper air rifle was a brand new BSA mercury and it was amazing 🤩 it cost £67 in 1982 I remember shooting a duck with a perfect head shot from 40 yards away on water, extremely accurate rifle I loved it.thanks for the review Andy 👍 lovely rifles ATB Dave
I can't understand all the haters. It's a cracking little rifle for the price, and I guess it's like any other tool. It's only as good as the person using it
As the barrel dont lock up very well and move from side to side ,,with a scope it wont center ,
@lerosh2226 mines brilliant. I've had it 4 years and put hundreds and hundreds of pellets through mine with absolutely no problem
@matthewbishop9342 there is no problem if it has steel sights,,thats the way they were in my day,,but if you put a scope on the SE it will not be good as the barrel boss is so slim it cant register the same every time you cock it ,its a half round furrow cut in a little boss,,christ i had a one in the early seventies which came off in my hand ,,,a day old,,they used to be brazed on ,,but the boss is now power welded ,,thing is the size of the boss is still the same,,,no good for a scope,,, and will mot register unless the barrel boss is wider and deeper,,,lool at Weiraucj,,Walther,,,Diana ,,,Remington,,,just about anything,,
@matthewbishop9342 did you use a scope ,,? As with steel sights it would make little problems,but a scope ain't fitted to the barrel,,which dont seem to center every cock,,
@@lerosh2226 I use a hawke 3-12 ×50. My rifle shoots 1 inch groups at 30 meters all day
I have the GRT in 177 , I think it's a truely great little sporter , but the barrel is somewhat pellet fussy .
I'm a big gas ram fan , due to having Theoben air rifles .
I highly recommend this little gun its a beauty.
Totally agree with the review ...
Keep up the good work , really enjoy the channel . Thanks .
What pellet did you settle on?
Hi Andy, I watched your video on the Springfield armory M1A. I PURCHASED ONE FROM E BAY it's a heavy rifle, but it's accurate out of the box. I love it!
PCP air rifles are quite a nice item, but for the money a good break barrel is a must have in my opinion.. As always really enjoyed the video..
Pcp are the best 👌
@@simonnoble7589 Not if you need to grab a rifle at short notice to sort a rat, crow, or other pesky thing and you don't need the faff of charging a PCP.
@@alannorthdevonuk763 That's true , but I always have a pcp at the ready . With multiple shots ! Cheers
BSA is on the short list both for the quality and the looks. BSA has always seemed to have a stock designer that is more in tune with my taste. 👍😎
Watched this and bought one, thanks
Such a new rifle and yet not bad groups. Almost certain to improve with usage.
Don’t have these here , they do have the Gamo bone collector which is close.. Gamo says they are part of BSA .. I have to ask my supplier if they will be getting them in AOA
. Thanks Andy for the latest and greatest first reviews! 😎👍🏻
Good morning Andy. I'm pleased to say I'm a lightening owner. Well the original with a shorter suppressor.
It's never let me down.
But I've been thinking of an upgrade but now maybe not lol.
Great post I have both versions both are great rifles and very accurate.
I've had the BSA Scorpion for about 17 years now. and I would never get rid of it, the rifle is superb and never lets me down. with a Weirauch silencer on it, it's sublime and accurate as you could ever wish for, I was at a company right next door to BSA in Armoury rd 2 days ago. I wouldn't buy anything else
I have a scorpion , it's a pistol
And some long term users have reported wobble in the barrel as there's only a split pin holing it in place as opposed to screw's on a hw95k that you can adjust
I have the Springer version and find it very pellet specific so worth doing some experimentation. Also keep some Allen Keys handy as it does shoot loose after a while. Enjoy the reviews; thanks.
So smooth, the only way to make it even smother would be a smoothbore😂
one thing to add.. being nitrogen filled the ram is not affected by differing ambient temperatures the gas doesn't expand nor contract in hot or cold conditions...
Brilliant concept, I’ve owned a couple of rifles with gas filled pistons , both were awesome to start with! Both leaked within two years. Might give this one a go….
The only problem is ; this ban of lead is going to affect 1.77 shooters more so than .22 and 25’s unless some clever company can make alloy pellets of a similar weight or i would guess more 1.77’s would go supersonic. We’re all going to have to narrow our range whatever calibre we’re using. Any thoughts more than welcome.
Great review.
Shout out to the Airgun Factory group 👍
Hi Andy
Many thanks for another great informative video!!!
I have an idea for another video.
How about doing a review of which is the best 1911 co2 pistol replica.
May be comparing 5 or 6 1911's. Fire arm 1911's are massively popular in the good old USofA. Given that due to draconian gun laws, the best we can hope for is a replica co2 1911. But which is the best and which one should I buy.... I think this would be a popular topic and will hopefully answer the question, which one (or more😁) should I buy....
Thanks Andy. Love Channel and thank you so much to Mrs AA on air for allowing you time away from her to bring us the latest news and views from the world of Air guns.
I suppose that gas rams are a fourth catagory of powering an airgun; spring, pneumatic,gas and gas ram.The only problem I forsee with the gas ram is the equivalent of changing the spring when it wears out.A spring you can do yourself but a gas ram?
Good break barrels, I tuned a spring version and it was lovely to shoot, under 11ftbs is perfect for non fac, hw99s shoots way better imo and much better build quality.
Thnx fo the review Andy...indeed as Garry stated; a pity they didn't put the Gamo magzine on it....Blye me hat orange shirt looks nice...is it a hint to cheer for our Dutch national pride this winter?
Great review Andy how did they group with the alloys would be interesting to know cheers atb
I came across this rather late thank you for the direct comparison between gas ram and spring.
I've had both of these. They look fantastic, build quality is good. But triggers on both were horrible, very heavy and lots of creep. You never knew when it was going to let go and it affected accuracy. Both of mine went to the gunsmiths to have trigger sears polished and were great when they come back. Light and crisp and made gun as accurate as anything else I have. My top tip. Sort the trigger to make a good gun great 👍
Good video the HRT seems nice and light and at a price to get into the sport. I am not sure I would buy a springer now I have made the PCP change however, I did keep my HW97k for emergencies!
Bsa done a theoben superstar back in 88, ive still got my venom superstar, amazing rifle to shoot.
My first air rifle was a bsa Mercury then i moved up to a weirauch hw 80
It certainly needed the 2 arrestor blocks to stop scope creep😊
Nice looking pair of BSA's. With that orange shirt on, it looks like an American inmate reviewing guns 🙂
Nice information between Spring power and strut power both are 🥇 winners
Like the concept, but not scope friendly and my open sights days are long past, but enjoyed your show as always it's PCPs for me now, love em
I almost went for a GRT about 10 years ago, but ended up with the Weihrauch HW77K .22, which I still have.
You've out done yourself Andy with these 2 rifles love them .
Thanks Andy as always a fair test and review.
Great to see a pair of British rifles, I have the lightning se which I bought last year and it’s so dam accurate and have used it many times for pest control when I’ve felt like going back to my roots and having a bit of fun with a springer. I chose the SE simply as I preferred the look over the XL knowing that both rifles will perform just as well it was just my preferred choice and nothing more and maybe in time Andy will bring a pair of of the lightning se’s in the future for another comparison as he’s done with the XL’s.
Great video Andy looking forward to next Friday for the next.
Great review Andy . Yeah not much of a springer / gas ram man myself but I must admit I quite like these. The speed their kicking out the lighter alloy pellets is moving more towards fac speeds. 🤪. Gonna try some alloy pellets in my vulcan 3 and see what their saying over my chrono. Have a great weekend Andy . Love your work as always . 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Good to see that at last BSA have offered a gas ram option on the Lightning.
I bought Theobens original Sirroco many years ago, and all it has needed was a new breech seal
and gas ram, it it still shoots very smoothly.
Theoben's were never low cost, and this prevented them from entering the mass market, the rest is history.
I am a fan of Gas Ram, springers need too much maintenance, and loose power if left cocked for that instant shot.
Re the manual safety, that is a plus point for me, i have missed many shots due to the automatic ones.
Thanks for reveiwing this gun Andy, i will check one out soon.
Beautiful airgun the Theoben sirroco , my dad had a fenman that was excellent to . Shame the company went under .
@@ThomasDoubting5 They were perfectionists, the guns were very made to a very high standard, this made them too expensive
for a lot of shooters.
I joined a waiting list for mine, despite the high price, they were in demand at the time, but as you say the company
sadly closed.
Me and my brother both have grt's and the trigger is shockingly bad we have been looking for sum way to modify or replace it for a different one completely but haven't been able to find anything the gun is really good apart from that
Hi Andy, I have a place in my heart for the BSA's my first one cost me around £16 a 2.2 Super Meteor pretty new on the market back then, I understand springers nneed to bed in but after talkiing to one of the guys from Theoben way back in the day I was under the impression the Gas Ram system was pretty much at full power from the word go or would that just be the Sirocco and such like or maybe I'm getting senile 😀 Love the Channel 👍👍
Great review. Have they changed the GRT recently ? I had one in 22 with a black tactical stock. It was terrible, couldn't group at all and that was after finding mounts that fitted correctly.
Others agreed at the time. This review and the Alpha Militaria one were 177 and show good results? Was it me ? Was it the gun ? I swapped mine for a HW99s and that is spot on 🤔
I had a Webley VMX when I started plinking again. £175 all in with a scope. Consistently registered 11.4 ft IBS. Well made, accurate and a bargain. 🙂🙂👍👍
can I see it iv been looking for videos but can’t find any on the vmx
Thank you for another fantastic video, thumbs up to you from California! Sorry BSA, I'm a UMAREX man. ❤️🇬🇧/🇺🇸
Interested to know why green pellets away PCP only.
I KNOW THIS IS A BIT LATE BUT I JUST BOUGHT THE SPRING VERSION AND IT IS NOT QUITE BY NO MEANS
I have never had the luck of air pistons lasting as long as my mechanical springs. Maybe at least here in the states they are over pressurized? 150bar seems like a lot. Some I believe can be altered (de-tuned) but not like the ones that Theoben had.
If at 1st you don't succeed mate, wonderfully done
Great review of these rifles thanks, but a small point most people seem to fall down on, the Union Flag at the start was upside down.
Nice review, I bought that grt from kieth sports in saltburn I took it straight to a spot near Whitby I go and I could not group it at all! And hated the kick when fired. Yep I took it straight back and got a refund and immediately rang bagnel sports at Newcastle ask him if he had a hw95k in 177 and he said yes so I told him not to shut shop IME setting from Redcar in my camper and bought it shuved a hawk scope on it and it group nearly pellet on pellet at 25 yards with jsb exacts. Best thing I ever did was get rid of that BSA and buy the 95k
Love my springers!
Nice video thanks for the honesty i like lightnings but I don't like how every other review says the lightning are great but I've had 5 of them all gamo made new version and all horrible triggers violent to shoot around 9.5 - 10 ftlb not 11.5 as it ought to be and very difficult to be accurate with
I used to love my springers then I got a air arms s410 3 times lol I will never go back to springers , my next buy is going to be a brocock sniper XR laminate or the brocock Sahara not sure yet but it’s going to be one of the two
Buy a gas strut for this rifle, my father had one of these had the conversion and what a rifle , no recoil no wear and have it coked forever .
Nice review. I'm just about to push the button on one of these, but I'll *still* have to flip a coin on the "GRT or Tradition" choice, because I do like to feel a bit of recoil. Nice to see that both guns are tolerant of large PCP-only "green" pellets, thinking of the future.
Another classic review Andy…… thanks for all your effort. It’s always a great start to a Friday
Its the only thing worth getting up for on a Friday :-)
Hi, I have a few questions
How far should I keep my targets when plinking.
How many shots does green gas give before needing to reload.
What's the highest shot per gas reload gun?
I'm looking to eep shooting without needing to fill up
I like the look of these, might invest in a .177
I THINK YOUR DOING A GREAT AND I LOVE WACHING YOUR SHOW, I LEARN A LOT KEEP IT UP.
I know where I'm not going for reviews in the future.
I love your revers Andy all sensible except for the odd pop gun but it gives me a smile so no problem there . As someone who has been shooting for sixty five years section 1 and two and I own quite a lot of air guns to just for fun . My interest nowadays is trying to restore a air gun on yesterday . It would be lovely if now and then you could do a review on an air rifle from years gone by .
Dave from Hants
Ps if you need to find an old classic get in touch .