Redgum Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Just bought my son a .177 bsa lightning, its accuracy is ok, was hoping for a little better (inch group at 30yds) does it need a few down the barrel to settle it down or is this as good as I should expect. I have a zeiss scope on it at the moment as it was the shortest scope I have due to the break barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Chances are its perhaps as good as its going to get , general consensus is that they are a poor gun , jumpy, twangy and difficult to shoot well , especially in .177 There was a thread on here very recently with someone having the same problem , they ended up buying a HW, I am afraid BSA spring guns are pretty awful now they are made abroad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 They are now made back in the UK and not at the Gammo factory, I've read a lot of good reviews on the air rifle, remembering its half the price of most pcp's, just wondering if a new springer took time to settle in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 (edited) Yup, any gun will take time to "lead up", plus you and your son will need to get used to it. Grip pressure, maybe a scope tweak etc. But an inch a 30 yds depending on the quarry if you are consistent will give you a clean kill every time or just bring the range down to 25 yds. Edited November 18, 2014 by garden gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les*1066 Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I would be worrying more about the Zeiss scope - the double recoil of a springer is renowned for killing non springer-rated scopes. The rifle might benefit from a strip, deburr and relube, but I wouldn't expect too much from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evo Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 practice practice practice, your groups will soon improve so don't worry, also try a few different makes of pellets starting with jsb,s and h&n field target etc good luck with it but as said all rifles take time to bed in atb Evo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I would be worrying more about the Zeiss scope - the double recoil of a springer is renowned for killing non springer-rated scopes. The rifle might benefit from a strip, deburr and relube, but I wouldn't expect too much from it. Don't think I will be worrying about the Zeiss scope, its been on rifles that would disintegrate many 'springer rated' scopes in a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 (edited) Don't think I will be worrying about the Zeiss scope, its been on rifles that would disintegrate many 'springer rated' scopes in a shot. true enough! Yeah springers can take a bit of time to bed in. How long have you had it? It's not only a matter of getting the barrell leaded, the action will take a bit of time to bed in. Any excess oil got rid of, and the action to get a bit smoother. You should be able to get the groupings closer than that with time. If you've been shooting accurately with centre and rimfire rifles, I'm guessing the slightly dubious accuracy isn't to do with you! There are things you can do to improve them, but give it a bit of use first before you start looking at changing internal stuff. Hope you get somewhere, sir. I'd also think about changing the scope - a zeiss is way too nice and too useful to be sitting on just an air rifle. Give the optics to something that benefits from the quality! Edited November 18, 2014 by chrisjpainter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 true enough! Yeah springers can take a bit of time to bed in. How long have you had it? It's not only a matter of getting the barrell leaded, the action will take a bit of time to bed in. Any excess oil got rid of, and the action to get a bit smoother. You should be able to get the groupings closer than that with time. If you've been shooting accurately with centre and rimfire rifles, I'm guessing the slightly dubious accuracy isn't to do with you! There are things you can do to improve them, but give it a bit of use first before you start looking at changing internal stuff. Hope you get somewhere, sir. I'd also think about changing the scope - a zeiss is way to nice and too useful to be sitting on just an air rifle. Give the optics to something that benefits from the quality! Thanks for that, the rifle is brand new and has only had maybe a 100 pellets through it ( if that ), though its already taken a squirrel at roughly 30yds in the head. I wanted to get my youngest used to something that jumped a bit as in a few years time he will hopefully be shooting centrefire. I have more experience with centrefire than air rifles, its been along time since I stalked rabbits through the long grass with the olde chaps airsporter, sadly both are gone now. A rifle needs running in so I was just asking the question if a springer needed the same, the online reviews for the lightning are pretty good and for the money I think its a cracking little rifle. The ziess is probably a bit over kill but its a conquest which is quite a short scope and other scopes I had knocking around were a bit long in regard the break barrel, I have a white tail classic on the .22lr which I may swap around. The best thing is its great fun, I have a 308 which will group under two inches at 200yds, its accounted for many deer and more than a few boar yet I am finding this little journey with my youngest son just as exciting and rewarding, it takes me right back to when I was eleven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Am I the only one thinking.......1 inch at 30 yards, new rifle out of the box, not run in, pellet trials???? I think that's pretty dam good grouping. And will bowl a bunny over or head shoot a pigeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evo Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 (edited) Am I the only one thinking.......1 inch at 30 yards, new rifle out of the box, not run in, pellet trials? ??? I think that's pretty dam good grouping. And will bowl a bunny over or head shoot a pigeon come on turbo,,,,there are lads on here who can put pellet on pellet with a springer out to 50yrds well the ones who think they are Si Pittaway anyway :lol: atb Evo Edited November 18, 2014 by evo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat g Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I would be worrying more about the Zeiss scope - the double recoil of a springer is renowned for killing non springer-rated scopes. The rifle might benefit from a strip, deburr and relube, but I wouldn't expect too much from it. I certainly don't think Redgum will be worrying about a spring air rifle damaging a quality high end scope like a Zeiss. Yes spring guns generate a different kind of recoil compared to a firearm but come on. A scope that could take the heavy recoil of say a 375HH is certainly going to stand up to a spring airgun ATB, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les*1066 Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I certainly don't think Redgum will be worrying about a spring air rifle damaging a quality high end scope like a Zeiss. Yes spring guns generate a different kind of recoil compared to a firearm but come on. A scope that could take the heavy recoil of say a 375HH is certainly going to stand up to a spring airgun ATB, Pat I really couldn't care less one way or the other - it's his scope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat g Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I really couldn't care less one way or the other - it's his scope. No offence meant at all Les. I owned a BSA lightening several years ago and i found it to be no where near as accurate as the offerings from the likes of AA or HW. However 1" at 30 yards is probably about as good as its going to get and as has already been said acceptable for hunting at 25- 30 yards. Enjoy ATB, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 No offence meant at all Les. I owned a BSA lightening several years ago and i found it to be no where near as accurate as the offerings from the likes of AA or HW. However 1" at 30 yards is probably about as good as its going to get and as has already been said acceptable for hunting at 25- 30 yards. Enjoy ATB, Pat Think Les was making a comment about the scope Pat, maybe he could recommend a scope that would cope with the double shuffle of a springer better than a zeiss 3-10 conquest, I don't think any of the Hawke range would be as strong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted November 18, 2014 Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 Give it a tin of pellets and see where you are then, a new gun will need at least that much to lead up and bed in, even an HW. I know as I've had enough of them. the lightening is good enough for 30 yard vermin work. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Harrison Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 have you tryed a few different brands of pellet ? my BSA likes H&N Hollow points which i get good groups at 25 yrds, as for spingers my TX200HC is by far ALOT more accurate, was getting good groups at 40yrds with my 177 ,christmas is coming so tap your misses up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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