BSA XL TACTICAL .177 - Thoughts?

[SniperX]

Hi Guys,

I'm planning to buy my 3rd air rifle.  I just would like to get your opinion about this rifle. It's more expensive than my Gamo Whisper and Crosman Benjamin.  

1.  Is the price worth it?  
2.  Can it be used for small game hunting?
3.  Since it has a shorter barrel, is it accurate enough?
4.  What is the maximum effective range?
5.  What is the velocity?
6.  I heard it's already made in Spain.  Is this true?

Add:

7.  How will i know if it's FAC or non-FCA version?

Thanks.

[lillysdad621]

1.yes 2.absolutely 3.very 4.depends on how you shoot, with me out to 40 yards 5.depends on pellet, but always fast enough 6. probably, unless you get a left over unsold UK gun.

[joek]

imo the diana 34 is a better gun, I have a old super sport I will never sell, but to be honest  the diana T05 is a better trigger. or better yet the T06. the british forum's have been talking about poor qc on the spanish bsa's

[lillysdad621]

i dont know... i got a uk made supersport magnum (the us model) in .22 and it is very accurate with jsb 14.3. and it is consistent shooting them at 695 fps +- 5 fps.... And i got a very decent trigger...

[flyer]

       1. No
      BSA stopped being a 100% English firm in 1986:
             http://www.bsaguns.co.uk/chronology.php
    After Gamo took over the re-named BSA began the descent for the once mighty and famous company. BSA barrels are among the best in the world but everything else is not the same - you end up paying the name of BSA on a Gamo. Let it rest in its place and look for a better quality rifle - Chinese, European - whatever. The new Diana 34 with T06 trigger is a good choice but if you have a limited budget BAM 26 or Industry Brand AR1000 MAGNUM (= Tech Force 89 = Hammerli Black Force 1000 = Hammerli Hunter Force 1000 = Beeman RS2) or RWS 94 (= Cometa 400 Fenix = Cometa Fusion) will leave you surely satisfied. All these have good triggers - an essential element of a truly accurate rifle that is often overlooked either deliberately or accidentally. HW rifles are top choices but their prices are higher.

[samTN]

1. No, not even the Brithish one if it is in the $400's range.  I have 2 of the UK made lightning but I cannot compare them to my HW 95 which costs as much.
2. Yes.
3.Yes.
4. Enough for a small game hunt up to 30 yards.
5. It depends on the pellet weight.
6.  The new production is Spanish.  I recommned staying away from them.

[lillysdad621]

by the way, BSA gun works still assembled guns in the UK post the buy out. Just because El Gamo is Spaniard does not mean that they did not sell things made in other places...

[Tpatner412]

1.Yes.  For a UK model.
2.Yes.
3.Yes.
4.30 or 40 yards.
5.Mine shoots 870 with 8.4grn JSB's.
6.As far as I know yes.

As for the above statement, I am pretty sure they are made in Spain now.  The PCP's are still made in the UK but the springer manufacturing has shifted to Spain. 

[daveshoot]

One response to the question you didn't ask... tuners are harder to find for the BSAs and the triggers are complex. I like the Lightning (UK) but the trigger is not as good as any of my RWS or Weihrauch rifles. It does have excellent handling properties.

[SniperX]

Thanks guys. Does that mean that the parts are made by Gamo also?  Maybe i'll still get one if the parts are still made by BSA.  Doesn't matter if it's assembled in Spain.   

[lillysdad621]

No... most parts where old stock from the purchase and still are stamped with "made in England", specially the barrels...

[lillysdad621]

plus who said that Gamo makes sub par airguns? yes, do not expect to shell out 140 bucks for a big cat and have it go neck to neck with a 500 dollar R9. But get a hunter exreme and you'll notice the difference between a 140 dollar gun and a 400+ dollar gun. Heck, i had a whisper that i turned into a 450 dollar gun and let me tell you, few original german or brit guns could have outshot it. The cfx at 200 bucks is an okay rifle. Get about 130 dollars of maccari parts and get to work and you wont recognize that rifle, as it will shoot as a BSA airsporter. The stutzen gamo? airsporter RB2... just get a trigger and do a lube job... the comet? nitro17 gamo... they have been around interlaced for many years and somehow we have forgotten that 5 years ago we would have bought a BSA and not even question its provenance or pedigree and QC... I shot the dynamax... its a scorpion without a shroud. 599 versus about 900 bucks when the scorpion was available... and if you close your eyes and touch either one you wont be able to tell the difference... Get that tactical... is a great gun and if not an awesome platform worth of tuning. As per who to go for tuning? Kraner, Paredes, Slade, take your pick... how deep are your pockets?

[daveshoot]

I would add Paul Watts to the list of highly respected BSA tuners. If I was going to have mine done, that's the way I would go.

I am kind of balking at the cost, though. With so many guns to shoot already, I am wondering if it isn't trade bait for something I might want down the road. It is a joy to point and shoot, just not better at anything than other stuff I have. I do like the carbine length.

I have no experience with the Gamo stuff and try to stay out of the Gamo discussions. I have only ever shot a Big Cat, no other experience with their rifles, and I just leave them and their fans alone. The PBA ammo and the pig video shouldn't count against a decent rifle. Cometa has proven that a fine rifle can come from Spain (I think Norica did, too?) and they are made just down the street from one another.

[SniperX]

Thanks lillysdad621. =)

I emailed BSAguns UK and got a reply instantly.  I was informed that BSA XL Tactical is assembled in Spain BUT all their internal parts including the barrel are still made in England.  They also informed me not to worry for the quality now since Spain(Gamo) is more strict with their QC than the last few years.

I guess they are more aware now and doesn't have to get a bad reputation especially the name of BSA.

I will order a BSA XL Tactical this week.  Hope i will not regret it. 

[SniperX]

 lillysdad621,

By the way, what's the fps of your XL Tactical?  I didn't know there are 2 versions in UK (FAC has 15ft-lb and Non-FAC has 12ft-lb) since they have a limit there of 12ft-lb.  Which one do you have?  How will i know the difference?  Does it say in the manual or in the box?

[lillysdad621]

i have a supersport. but the box actually had a place where the bsa sticker has check marked the caliber, model and a stamp on it saying USA. mine is a .22 and it puts out 15 fpe. my old .177 had a velocity of aprox 860 with superdomes so i guess that one also went over the 12 fpe limit. that one i got used so no box to corroborate where it was meant to be sold. the only way to tell if not marked on box is going to be a chronograph.

[SniperX]

Thanks again. I'll take note of that BSA sticker and chrono it when i get home.  I will buy one on Monday.