lithgow la101 22lr

[dash4cash]

Was hoping someone here has one of these and could give me some detail as to what you like, dislike about the Lithgow la 101 22lr and how it may compare to the Tikka or CZ. for about 1100.00 bucks one would expect a pretty nice rifle, capable of some small groups.

Carl

 

[Freebore221]

The one I tested out shot very well, a little better than the CZ's and Tikka's I have tested. Trigger is heavy but crisp. Feeding/ejection were solid. Takes CZ mags. A good hunting rifle IMHO. Not much (if any) aftermarket support if you want to gussy it up.

 

[allan harris]

Plenty of information on RFC about the capabilities of these rifles posted by Australian owners.
I have a couple - Laminated one has been re-worked (re-barrel, bedding, trigger work etc) - Most accurate 22 I have owned. Walnut stocked one was faultless and very accurate from the carton & has only been bedded and trigger worked.

 

[Johnerz]

I’m aware the thread is a few months old.
I recently pick up a 2nd hand LA101 in 22lr, poor ejection and fussy mags the seller said. so I got it at a good price, replaced the ejector plate, both extractors. Spent a bit of time on the mag springs and stuff and bought a 3D printed single shot loader.

The rifle now picks up a red, shoots it well and extracts/ejects well, all for free!, I’d email Lithgow in Aus, they passed the email onto the UK importer (wholesale only no portal for retail customers. A few emails later the bits arrived on my doorstep with a free Lithgow cap included.
Great customer service, just need to buy a couple of 10rd mag when they get back in stock.

John

 

[AirGunShawn]

They look really cool to me...... where can I get a .22LR ?? In laminate or walut? I really like my B14 R as well but I'm always
looking for a new toy for my stable. And with $20.00 and 20 minutes of my time the B14 R trigger has an adjustable sear stop
and breaks at 11 oz.
The groups shown are old and were shot with the factory unit prior to my mod.

 

[Tentman]

Gidday Guys (from down in New Zealand)

My LA101 (synthetic stocked) is a phenomenally accurate 22. I spent 5 or 6 years and at least 6 high end rifles with dozens of ammo combinations trying to do the Canadian Gun Nutz challenge - 5 groups shot consecutively, 5 shots each at 50 yards or metres. I did limit myself to sporter weight rifles, which considerably increases the difficulty, ones shooting technique has to be spot on with 22 rifles less than about 8-8.5 lbs. For example, a very nice Annie 1416 shot very well, with groups down in the 0.2's possible on a regular basis - but not stringing 5 consecutive ones together.

The Lithgow LA 101 - with Eley Match ammo did it easily, on about my second attempt with it. The average for the 5x5 groups - 0.293 inches at 47M (50 yards). And I would have no problem repeating the challenge, I have a lot of confidence in the LA101 - one day someone at a shoot with a Vudoo is going to call me on my claim MY LA101 is a Vudoo killer or at least its equal from the bench, and again, I'll take up such a challenge with alacrity.

Are all Lithgow 22's created equal - I doubt it, but you do have a pretty good chance of getting a good one, much more so than say a CZ of the 455 or 457 series, the example of which I've owned have included one or two that shot pretty well, but mostly just ho-hum.

The biggest drawback of the LA101 is the trigger, mine has been tuned by a person unknown (I got it used) and it has a superb break, but is still 25 Oz (714 grams) even after that tune.

I've owned dozens of 22's but one that I'll never sell is the LA101

 

[allan harris]

Tentman - Imagine how much you would enjoy your LA101 fitted with a trigger like this - Jason Lowe's Anschutz 5018 modification!

 

[Gee Kay]

what trigger is that?

 

[Tentman]

Thats a great tease, I've poured over those pictures but I don't know any gunsmiths here that would be up for such a project . ., . .

 

[allan harris]

what trigger is that?

One of the best!

Champion's Choice

 

[Gee Kay]

would be a bit of a mission to get something like that done to mine. recently picked up mine in a beautiful grey/brown walnut stock, no the red/cherry colour you usually see in pictures or in the store. got it in black cause of the scope going on it being black, and yesterday the 30moa rail arrived from @iceng (thanks Nik), but yet to put it on due to other things happening. also not in a rush as i'm patiently waiting (over a year) to get my replacement scope from athlon (due to the shitty shipping service currently) so i can take the strike eagle off the tikka and install it on the 101. lets see if i lose my shit in the new year waiting for this bullshit. was told by athlon it was going to leave kansas back in april, maybe its off with the wizard and i'll have to get the importers here to give me something else but theyre mostly moa for the aussie hunter not mil for the real shooter. go figure... i guess i can always put my pmII on the 101 since i havent shot my 105 in over a year...

 

[AirGunShawn]

Great looking trigger mod ! I get the feeling that he also turned it into a single shot gun. Looks like a aftermarket bbl
and a zero MOA base as well..
I have wanted a 101A in a laminate stock for a couple years but have not seen a .22LR come up for sale.
Now I really want one !!

I often recommend that people use finger nail polish ( enamel ) to keep the pins in place after doing trigger jobs. IE: CZ457
I often feel like people think that FP is somehow a bad idea. I also use it on polymer magazine housings. The don't like being staked.

The other option is to stake the housing. I have staked the devil out of the second photo so that it will be clear in the photo.
The smallest amount of pin prick is all that is needed.

I'm sure I've read that Anschutz position on Loc-tite is not to use it do to the possibility of wicking.

 

[allan harris]

Great looking trigger mod ! I get the feeling that he also turned it into a single shot gun. Looks like a aftermarket bbl
and a zero MOA base as well..

I think Jason's skills are only limited by his imagination - Here is his LA101 creation.

The Lithgow trigger can also be fitted with a sear adjustment screw similar to the Bergara mod you fellows came up with - The procedure is a little more complicated though. With this mod plus spring changes, the LA101 will come down to around a pound. I have mine set up the same as the 5096 triggers on my Anschutz 1710's.

Here in Aus, it's possible to build a Lithgow with after market barrel, all the tuning mods etc for roughly half the price of a Vudoo. I have a Gen 2 V22 & a 360 - Neither will perform any better than my LA101 build. BUT...The Vudoo is a class act as received - bolt on a scope and go out and play! If it came time to dispose of these rifles, the Vudoo would be hands down the easier rifle to sell for a decent return!!!

 

[AirGunShawn]

There is a Bergara trigger mod post thread the last time I looked at it, everybody was of the mindset to simply use
a 4-40 set screw to function as a sear adjustment only. In the thread I said that I thought people were missing a great opportunity
to have an adjustable sear but also reduce the trigger pull weight. But they said "4-40 works perfect" I didn't think they ever
understood how a #6-32 long nose spring plunger would be any better. The spring plunger nose counter acts the majority of
the factory torsion spring load. McMaster Carr #8495A11 w/thread locker. Currently mine is breaking at 11 oz. and I have the next size
plunger in hand to try out as I find the time.

I tried very hard to explain that the nose of the body of the long nose spring plunger did the same thing the setscrew does to adjust the sear
but it's spring-loaded nose has the same effect as changing out the internal springs. In the case of the B14R that would be a big bonus because it's housing is riveted in seven places. To take advantage of the spring plunger you have to drill and tap for a #6-32 because they don't make a #4-40 plunger. The cost of my mod was $20.00 and 20 minutes of time. My B14R mod is completed with the trigger unit
in tact. The Bergara trigger has existing holes that need to be chased out and then tapped. I choose the #6-32 #4.5 plunger but
my go up to the #8-32 #7.3 plunger. They are only 5.00 each The spring plunger goes where the pin punch is pointing.
I put in another limiter in the second photo where the pin punch is located.

In the trigger area photo, the trigger limiter screw is mod is crystal clear. What I can't tell is if it is a set screw or spring plunger.

Jason has a large yellow block that appears to clamp his barrel. That looks like a perfect opportunity to add a lower guide block and
rail so that the entire barreled assembly recoils rearward independently of the stock. The rail would be mounted into the stock and the guide block could move down it's length by a small amount. Jasons yellow block could mount directly on top of the rail / block assembly.
It's total movement would be about .375" Only his bolt channel leads me to believe that he has yet to incorporate some
linier guide blocks.

The net effect would be a gun that recoiled straight reward while the bullet was zipping down the barrel. At some point the rifle
would have a minimum amount of recoil but the bullet would have exited the bbl by then thereby having nearly zero effect from muzzle rise.
A similar thing was done to the FWB 300 air rifles and the FWB 65 pistols that dominated the Olympics for over 25 years.

If I still had a machine shop to work from I could come up with some really wild ideas.

As I look at all of the factory machining on the underside of the receiver and there are some great starting points. It's flat receiver and the raised key-way feature.

Allen, is Jasons gun a single shot at this point? Allen, can you confirm what type of gun Jason has? Single or repeater?
She's a beautiful gun!

One last question.... Is it possible to get a Lithgow 101A .22LR here in the USA?

 

[obx22]

I’ve handled and fired a Lithgow.
I was impressed with the accuracy, ok with the ergonomics, but didn’t care for being able to lower the bolt handle when it was retracted.

 

[speerchucker]

Well I have a pair of these both of them shoot exceptionally well the 17 hmr shoots around 1.2 in at 200 yards in Dead still conditions and with a 3 lug like lock up like this I'm not surprised

Not much comes out of my country in the shooting trade but by god they got this one right for your information the 17 HMR barrels are a cut barrel not hammer forged .

 

[Tentman]

I’ve handled and fired a Lithgow.
I was impressed with the accuracy, ok with the ergonomics, but didn’t care for being able to lower the bolt handle when it was retracted.

The bolt handle rotation when retracted is a "quirk" of these actions, I only discovered it the first time I shot my LA101 in a PRS match, nerves and all that of the first stage, I thought I must have "short stroked" the bolt. After the stage had completed and I figured out what I'd done, it was never a problem again. I did query Lithgow as to whether it was actually a "quirk of the design" and they confirmed that it was.

I've now fired several bricks through mine in both practise and competition and it never been a issue again. I have a couple of "older but nicer" 22's and the bolt lift and smoothness of the LA 101 is superior to all.

@speerchucker - are you really an Aussie??, I've followed your posts all over the interweb and never guessed!! I'm very sorry I once thought (from a post you'd made) you might have been a Canuck!

 

[allan harris]

In the trigger area photo, the trigger limiter screw is mod is crystal clear. What I can't tell is if it is a set screw or spring plunger.
Jason has a large yellow block that appears to clamp his barrel.
As I look at all of the factory machining on the underside of the receiver and there are some great starting points. It's flat receiver and the raised key-way feature.
Allen, is Jasons gun a single shot at this point? Allen, can you confirm what type of gun Jason has? Single or repeater?
She's a beautiful gun!

The sear adjustment is a set screw.
That block is a barrel bedding block. I've seen the same set up used down here on BRNO & ANSCHUTZ rim fire builds.
I've attached a couple of images of the Lithgow receiver and bolt. The Anschutz 1761 is another interesting 3 lug design and I like both.
All LA101's are repeaters but Lowey Products do market single shot adaptors for many makes. I'd have to confirm it with Jason but I'd bet that he has a purpose built loading tray in his rifle.
Allan.

 

[speerchucker]

@speerchucker - are you really an Aussie??, I've followed your posts all over the interweb and never guessed!! I'm very sorry I once thought (from a post you'd made) you might have been a Canuck!

Well I must admit that I'm offended by that and I can well assure you I am not a rainbow loving left-wing fairy so Canadian no frigging way

 

[Gee Kay]

Is it possible to get a Lithgow 101A .22LR here in the USA?

sure can

 

[wylie27]

I am from Sydney Australia and I have owned my la101 since 2016. It is one of those left hand configs and I owned mine before Lithgowarms started threading the barrel. I have countless thousands of rounds through it at the farm or at the range. it will shoot quarter inch groups at 50 all day long!.

I recently purchased a chassis for it, The southern cross small arms TSP-X and took it for a spin last night and I have to say it has made me fall in love with it all over again.

a Few years ago I swapped out th3 springs and had A trigger job done by the “eBay guy” aussies will know him.. here are 5 shot average with the Lyman trigger gauge both in pounds and kg.

still getting use to the weight changes and figuring out what ammo it likes now as the chassis seems to have changed what it likes

 

[Badshot308]

I am from Sydney Australia and I have owned my la101 since 2016. It is one of those left hand configs and I owned mine before Lithgowarms started threading the barrel. I have countless thousands of rounds through it at the farm or at the range. it will shoot quarter inch groups at 50 all day long!.

I recently purchased a chassis for it, The southern cross small arms TSP-X and took it for a spin last night and I have to say it has made me fall in love with it all over again.

View attachment 7814285
View attachment 7814288
a Few years ago I swapped out th3 springs and had A trigger job done by the “eBay guy” aussies will know him.. here are 5 shot average with the Lyman trigger gauge both in pounds and kg.

View attachment 7814286
View attachment 7814287

still getting use to the weight changes and figuring out what ammo it likes now as the chassis seems to have changed what it likes

How far were those groups shot at?

 

[wylie27]

How far were those groups shot at?

Damn I thought I put that in the post.

shot at 50 metres