Review Roundup
15
BEST BUYS
Highlights of reviews from consumer magazines
BSA GRT Lightning XL SE BSA’s famous Lightning has stood the test of time, and Mat Manning reckons the latest incarnation strikes the balance of value and performance
GUN TEST
Too many of us make the mistake of getting seduced into thinking that we are going to need to spend a small fortune on gear in order to get the most from our airgun shooting. I’m as guilty as anyone, but 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 you enjoy it more. 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. 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 an example of this.
Features and function BSA also has a reputation for delivering very solid
build quality, and the company has certainly done that with the Lightning. 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.
NEED TO KNOW ■ 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 hammerforged barrel, recoil-dampening scope rail
AIRGUN SHOOTER VERDICT “Solid build quality, dependable performance, minimal maintenance and a sensible price tag makes the GRT variant a great choice for shooters who want to enjoy fuss-free airgunning without breaking the bank”
Caesar Guerini Maxum Gold Ltd 20-bore
GUN TEST
An upgrade on the already premium Maxum, this game gun looks and performs beautifully, says Matt Hunt I have to confess that I have been a critic of these guns in the past; never for their quality, price or finish but for the inherent design of the action. This model, though identical mechanically, felt different and much improved in operation. You have to remember that the guns we test are nearly always unfired and as such can feel stiff and awkward. This gun did not. I would like to say this is down to a man on a bench with a file, tirelessly carrying out the final regulation. Though it felt like this was the case, I would actually credit its ease of operation to the accuracy in machining. You can feel the improvements in the trigger system. It has little initial take-up and a crisp and fast lock time, without being too light.
The gun balanced just forward of the hinge, and its solid top rib gave a good, hefty feel when swinging. So many 20-bores are whippy and difficult to control. I would put this gun in the middle weight class when it comes to other 20-bores on the market. Breaking driven clay targets was effortless and, using a 28g cartridge, felt recoil was negligible. When we approached a long crossing target, I found myself missing over the top. In my experience, many Italian
guns feel like they shoot low but actually shoot very high. It was easy to adjust to this characteristic, but fitting could also be an option to others. Overall, the gun could not be faulted mechanically. Even when hot, extraction of cartridges was superb. The primary extraction was modest and made unloading unfired cartridges slightly trickier than on other Italian guns. But in general, the Maxum Gold looks and performs beautifully.
17 /20 /20
ACTION AND BARRELS More than adequate for a small-bore
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HANDLING Very good; I’d like a fixed-choke version
TRIGGER A great improvement you can genuinely feel
STOCK Superb; I love the modern grip shape
VALUE Good; £2,000 more than standard model
OVERALL SCORE Good solid purchase for the game Shot
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MANUFACTURER Caesar Guerini MODEL Maxum Gold Ltd CALIBRE 20-bore BARRELS 30in CHAMBER 3in (76mm) CHOKES Multichoke RIB Solid mid rib and tapered solid top rib GRIP Pistol WEIGHT 6lb 15oz IMPORTER Anglo Italian Arms, 01564 742477 RRP £6,195
Mike Yardley, Andrew Sydenham
NEED TO KNOW
