Author Topic: Are the old Lightnings... (Read 5298 times))

notaddicted · « **on:** May 16, 2013, 12:18:44 AM »

I have been away from AG's for quite a while and have 2 older Lightnings I bought new in 05 and had rams and trigers done by DS. when he was in Bellflower Ca. .177 and .25. I had no idea that Gamo bought them out in the 80's? Are mine under the wire as far as quality? Not sure I want to know the answer. Ha!

Frank

Mark 611 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 16, 2013, 08:24:01 AM »

do they say made in Birmingham England on the compression tube?

notaddicted · « **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2013, 03:49:25 PM »

Quote from: Mark 611 on May 16, 2013, 08:24:01 AM

do they say made in Birmingham England on the compression tube?

All I can see without taking the stock off is BSA guns LTD England on the barrel. S# ar34121

notaddicted · « **Reply #3 on:** May 16, 2013, 06:11:55 PM »

I just read on another site that if the cocking linkage is laminated steel it's a UK gun according to him that is. Mine are laminated, and the stocks have no checkering at all. I emailed BSA with the S#"s and will wait and see what comes back. Hope Spain is not anywhere on the re. email. Haven't had any trouble in the past with either, and off hand was a lot better for me compaired to my Beeman R-10 .20. Off hand that is.

Mark 611 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 16, 2013, 10:04:46 PM »

that's a Spanish made gun! you should be able to see Birmingham England right on the side of the compression tube without taking off anything!

notaddicted · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2013, 12:36:13 AM »

Thanks Mark...You're fired! Popped my bubble.

Mark 611 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2013, 06:37:00 AM »

sorry brother

I didn't mean to make you burst!

Mark 611 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2013, 01:25:48 PM »

you could also have a trans gun made with all U.K. parts just assembled else where?

notaddicted · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2013, 03:28:44 PM »

The guy's lightning on the other site was a 05 like mine and bsa told him in a email that it was a uk rifle. Maybe they told a fib? Maybe they don't want a lot of people knowing about their money saving changes? Will be interesting to see what they say about mine if they reply. Come to think of it I had trouble with the beartrap on the .25 and had DS remove both with the tunes. Looking back I wish I would have gotten just one .22 and a R-7 .177. I already had a rws 350 .177 and my neighbors blasto 5000 140 buck 1000 fps big 5 gun shot harder. A bit imbarrassing after I told him it was rated at 1250 fps. and said "watch this"

Mark 611 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2013, 03:51:08 PM »

LOL!!!! I understand! about the FPS, anyhoo I hope they just decided to remove the stamping but it seems to me my BSA Lightning XL .22cal was made in 06 and it was stamped on the tube in plain sight made in Birmingham England! you might do some research on the search eng on the yellow and see what you come up with!

Mark 611 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 17, 2013, 04:01:52 PM »

I found some interesting info about the cocking arm!

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/message/1279667904/The+newer+ones+have+breakage+issues..
http://bsaog.co.uk/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=69f02bc703318f484051aada8869fa61&board=29.0
http://www.network54.com/Forum/79574/thread/1326149925/BSA+Lightning+XL+-177

notaddicted · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2013, 05:48:19 PM »

Thanks for the links, a bit depressing though. I see what you mean about the England thing and it's not on mine. Would of could of should of got a tx 200 in .22. If I would have known this stuff about bsa I would have mde different choices.

Bryan Heimann · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2013, 06:05:25 PM »

English or not, I'd love to have a .22 Lightning XL. Seems like it would make a great little hunter with a lightweight scope on top.

Mark 611 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 17, 2013, 09:16:00 PM »

in the one pix of the rifle where it shows the warning on the scope rail just below that on the compression tube is where it should be stamped MADE IN BIRMINGHAM ENGLAND!

notaddicted · « **Reply #14 on:** May 18, 2013, 01:57:37 AM »

Sure seems bsa is in trouble from what I've read and it's a darn shame. I didn't know that gamo was that big to buy them out. I agree with Bryan that the .22 would be tops, but the .25 sure smacks down squirrels nicely at 40-45 yards and of course I'm stuck with it and the .177.

Frank

Mark 611 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 18, 2013, 07:46:35 AM »

you can buy another barrel from TW Chambers, in any cal you want that's made for the gun!

notaddicted · « **Reply #16 on:** May 18, 2013, 02:44:42 PM »

Or find someone with a rammed/tuned .22 who wants a .177 and is out of his mind. Or a tuned r-7. What are the odds?

triggerfest · « **Reply #17 on:** May 19, 2013, 04:27:52 AM »

I Owned a "S" version once - very good quality and although assembled in Spain with UK parts, the beauty is of course it's BSA barrel, very, very accurate.

I had the .22 caliber, this is, what I think, the perfect caliber for this airgun. I used the JSB Heavy 18 grain pellets - a match made in heaven

notaddicted · « **Reply #18 on:** May 19, 2013, 08:16:08 PM »

Thanks for the imput rude boy as you and Mark have suggested that the parts were probably made in the UK and the rifle was assembled in Spain, although I haven't heard back from BSA on this yet. I think that I haven't given the .177 a proper chance expecting the .177 shot cycle to be the same as the .25's and it's just not going to happen. I believe that hold (shooters error) was the biggest problem when I was targeting in the past. Also, my brother in law and family came from Holland to Ca. many years ago as dairy farmers and became very rich. Name is Verboom.

notaddicted · « **Reply #19 on:** May 22, 2013, 10:53:07 PM »

Got a return email from bsa and they say that the rifles were made in 2004 and in the uk. I assume that means assembled there also, but I will ask back anyway. I feel a little better so far....

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Are the old Lightnings...

Author Topic: Are the old Lightnings... (Read 5298 times))