BSA GRT Lightning XL SE

Too many of us make the mistake of getting seduced into thinking that we need to spend a small fortune on gear to get the most from our airgun shooting. I’m as guilty as anyone, and while specialist equipment can make a big difference in some scenarios, you can still enjoy the full airgun experience with more affordable hardware – and you may even find that you enjoy it more. (Will a budget air-rifle really do the job? Mat Manning answers that question here).

There is no denying that most of us were initially attracted to airgun shooting because of its affordability and accessibility. That can still be the case, and it doesn’t have to mean skimping on quality either.

The GRT (Gas Ram Technology) version of the BSA Lightning XL SE is a classic example of just that.

It retails for £349, and for that modest outlay you get an accurate and reliable air rifle built to withstand the rigours of heavy use while remaining free from the hassles and additional cost of refilling, which those of us who opt to shoot expensive PCPs will be all too familiar with.

BSA GRT Lightning XL SE – key specs

Maker: BSA Guns, Birmingham (bsaguns.co.uk)
Model: GRT Lightning XL SE
Price: £349
Type: Gas-ram, break-barrel
Calibre: .177 and .22 (tested)
Overall length: 990mm
Barrel length: 370mm
Weight: 3kg (without scope)
Trigger: Two-stage adjustable
Power: 11.2 ft-lb on model tested
Features: Gas-ram powerplant, cold hammer-forged barrel, recoil-dampening scope rail

BSA GRT Lightning XL SE – Taking stock

As its name suggests, this model of the Lightning XL is powered by a gas-ram and it comes with the option of a beech or black stock.

The gun featured here is the beech version and its handle is a very nice piece of wood with some interesting figuring in its grain and a tasteful flash-free finish.

The stock is an ambidextrous design modelled in a sporter style, which really does make for a very handsome airgun.

The fore-end is comparatively long, so will accommodate a wide range of hold styles, and features panels of neat, grippy chequering on both sides. The same is present on either side of the pistol grip, which has a palm-filling swell to it and is angled to give good trigger attack.

A soft recoil pad, high cheekpiece and thumb scallop are incorporated into the well-designed stock

This is a cleverly thought out stock and the fact that it’s ambidextrous doesn’t result in any noticeable compromise. There is a small scallop to cradle your thumb if you like to shoot thumb-up, and the cheekpiece is sufficiently high to ensure good eye/scope alignment – that’s good news as the GRT Lightning XL SE is a scope-only airgun with no open sights.

The stock is finished with a ventilated soft-rubber recoil pad which is nice and squashy. This airgun doesn’t produce a lot of recoil, but that properly cushioned pad helps to soak up what little kick there is.

Unscoped, this gun tips the scales at around three kilos, which is about the norm for a good quality break-barrel airgun.

At under 99cm long, it is fairly compact and with a 3-9×40 BSA scope (not supplied) fitted, the point of balance fell about 8cm in front of the trigger.

In the shoulder, it felt just right to me; BSA has a real talent for building what I would describe as proper shooters’ airguns, and this is certainly one of them.

(Looking for a bargain scope to go with your bargain airgun? Read our test of two of the best scopes for around £1000 and under).

Features and function

BSA also has a reputation for delivering very solid build quality, and the company has certainly done that with the Lightning.

It may look elegant but it feels solid and doesn’t rattle in the way that some break-barrels can when given a shake. The engineering all looks very sound and the metalwork is nicely finished with a very dark bluing to shield it from mud, rain and all the other muck encountered in the field.

The test sample was not a new gun but an ex-demo model, which had had some pretty heavy use.

It had stood up to it well and remained very tidy in appearance, which should be reassuring for any would-be owners.

Open sights may be absent, but the Lightning’s accuracy justifies the precision of a scope. The cylinder has been machined with dovetail rails, and these incorporate BSA’s Maxi-Grip Scope Rail, which has integral shock absorbers to help cushion any recoil generated by the gun’s fast gas-ram action and stop any shaking or creep of the scope.

The stubby barrel is BSA’s famous cold hammer-forged barrel which is renowned for its accuracy. On this model it is housed inside a chunky full-length silencer which I think really enhances the airgun’s looks.

It also does a reasonable job of reducing the noise, but it’s never easy to tell with a gas-ram or springer as your head is so close to the noise of the moving parts.

While some people will feel obliged to scoff at the Lightning’s plastic trigger blade, I don’t think it makes any significant difference to the shooting experience.

The Lightning’s safety catch is positioned just above the trigger, giving easy access for right-handers

It is well designed with a classic gently swept curve and a wide face that transmits plenty of feel. It is a two-stage unit and, although you can adjust the second stage, I left it alone as it was fine straight from the box. The first stage was quite light and the second stage was positive and predictable with no obvious creep.

There is a safety catch positioned on the right side of the cylinder above the trigger. That location makes it easy to access and you pull it back to make the gun safe and nudge it forward when you’re ready to shoot.

Power is up where it should be at over 11 ft-lb on the .22 calibre test gun, and consistency was just about within 10 feet per second over a string of 10 shots, which is very good for a gas-ram airgun at this price point.

Some full-power airguns can be a bit of a strain to cock but I was very surprised by the ease of this BSA’s cocking stroke, especially as leverage is reduced by the fairly short barrel.

Apart from taking less strain than expected, the cocking stroke was exceptionally smooth, and the effort will certainly be manageable for most shooters – even youngsters. The extra gripping area provided by the silencer certainly makes a difference.

Loading is direct to breech, as you would expect with a break-barrel, and the lock-up is extremely secure.

The actual firing cycle is also surprisingly smooth. Of course, there is some recoil, but not much and it comes straight back into your shoulder with no twist or wobble.

There is none of the snappiness you can tend to get with some gas-rams, yet the lock-time feels to be very fast. You also don’t get the twang and reverberation that you can get with a spring, and that predictable trigger certainly helps with accuracy.

On the range with the BSA GRT Lightning XL SE

As most of us know, shooting technique plays a big part in achieving precise pellet placement with a recoiling airgun, but the GRT Lightning XL SE has the potential to achieve an impressive degree of accuracy. Shot from a bench, it is easily capable of half-inch groups at 25m as long as you do your bit.

I don’t shoot recoiling airguns as much as I should, so it took me a little while to find my form with the Lightning, but I was very happy with the results I achieved once I had blown out the cobwebs.

As most of us know, shooting technique plays a big part in achieving precise pellet placement with a recoiling airgun, but the GRT Lightning XL SE has the potential to achieve an impressive degree of accuracy. Shot from a bench, it is easily capable of half-inch groups at 25m as long as you do your bit.

I don’t shoot recoiling airguns as much as I should, so it took me a little while to find my form with the Lightning, but I was very happy with the results I achieved once I had blown out the cobwebs.

Loading is direct to breech, and the break-barrel Lightning has an extremely secure lock-up

I was whacking spinners at 30m and beyond shooting from the bench. Thanks to the fact that this airgun’s stock lends itself to numerous shooting stances, I was able to do the same from sitting and kneeling after a bit of practice.

Recoil is fast due to the firing cyle, but it isn’t jarring, so managing it soon becomes quite instinctive.

In fact, I was quickly reminded of the joy of shooting an airgun that has a bit of movement in its firing cycle. It certainly makes you think about your shooting technique and makes hitting targets all the more satisfying as you learn how to master it.

After a couple of range sessions, I was confident enough to take the GRT Lightning XL SE out on a squirrel shoot and managed to bag a couple of bushy-tails with it.

The GRT version of the BSA Lightning XL SE certainly proves that you don’t have to spend an absolute fortune or be tied to constant bottle filling to enjoy shooting a decent airgun – and that gas-ram powerplant should give good service for many years.

Despite being comparatively affordable, this is a quality air rifle that, apart from being great fun to shoot in the garden and on the range, also has the power and precision for targeting pests if you choose your shots responsibly.