Air Arms S510E22RX32ADO

[Normk]

I entered the complete model number because I'm still trying to work out what it all means.
After a run of problems with another gun, I returned it and bought this one from Travis at Air Gun Source*.

*IME, one can buy things and have no problems, but that tells one nothing about the quality of the service. Travis and Raman @ Canada Shooters Supply are absolute tops.

Travis was very patient in fielding questions and explaining, both from the perspective of theory and of empirical experience.

I shoot only pellets, mainly in the 14.3 gr range, and at silly distances- 25 yards to 160 meters, which very much reduces the choice of PCPs. In addition, I have two identically shooting FX Streamline .22s that anything else needs to compete.

I settled on the S510 because of the online reviews, since I have no access to other PCPs, and little regarding springers, due to our air gun isolation.

I did the review in two stages, initial, when it arrived and before taking to the range or mounting the Hawke Airmax 30 6-24x50 scope.

Initial:

Beautiful rifle. The finish is nicer than any of my air guns, with the possible exception of Diana 470TH.

Filling adapter: I prefer the male type as used on FX, Kral, Kervan, name something. The AA female adapter is bulky, harder to fit and refit. Livable but definitely inferior, IMO.

Conversion: https://www.airgunsource.ca/us/air-arms ... grade.html

Magazines, like HW, these don’t stop when empty. Not the end of the world, but a PITA when concentrating on aiming precisely. (I prefer Steamone13 magazines on eBay.) Turn magazine over and the last pellet falls out = dumb. Need to index magazine out of time to keep pellets from falling out. Hate that!

Air puff from breech end of barrel, might be from the holes.
300 mps with Crosman 14.4 gr. Assuming that is venting from the shroud as velocity and deviations appear to be normal.
**Definitely that is the case. It vents the shroud. Just surprised me. New gun excited.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The review is mixed, as anyone should expect as these things are very subjective.

Bottom line: I like it. Definitely a keeper. I think the justification for my Kral Mega Marine no longer holds as a spare rifle, so will be looking at finding another home for it.

Cocking is hot-butter smooth. Even compared to my (2) Streamlines, Dynamic, or HW100, it's smoother. I like that a lot. Make or break on a purchase? On the + side of "maybe".

It's heavier than the Streamlines, which is not a deal-breaker but definitely a negative. (-1 points)

The magazine? Awful. PITA to load, as I can load the Steamone13 FX Streamline magazines (on eBay) in 1/3 the time. Deal breaker? No, but not a positive. *BTW- a typical day's shooting consumes 500-700 pellets so reloading magazines is a larger issue than for many people.

Also on the awful magazine score, turn the magazine with the breech end up and the last pellet falls out. Hate that! Really hate that! I have to store them index out of time which is OK if I remember to correct before inserting the magazine.

Magazine, again: Like HW100 magazines, there is no stop after the last pellet so either count as one shoots, or end up with an empty discharge. Hate that! Really hate that! They likely have to do that because of the automatic advance mechanism but why not use the less complicated clock spring and avoid empty discharges?

Magazine, another "again": it is inserted/removed from the left. What is that all about? I can't use the parallax wheel on my scope and have to use the little knob! Hate that! Really, really, really hate that!

Fill adapter is this strange, "War of the Worlds" gubbins with a fragile looking "T" lock on the end of the reservoir. That has to go, but fortunately there is an upgrade kit from Air Gun Source.

The reservoir pressure gauge is viewed from the bottom of the stock, kind of a trade-off to the ones on the muzzle end of the reservoir. I have have both, prefer the muzzle end but so small a difference that it doesn't matter. *I've never understood the claims of safety as I just look at an angle, easily viewed while the rifle is on the bags or rest.

Other than the magazine fitting from the wrong side, if someone makes a better magazine, the magazine concerns will not apply.

Unusually calm winds and only about 20C, so very pleasant conditions.
I wonder how long it will require for the S510 to settle in? At present, both Streamlines make tighter groups, but it's early days and the difference is not huge.

The trigger needs to be adjusted from the factory setting, but is already quite acceptable.
Over all, a good purchase. Would I have chosen it over other options, such as Dreamlne or Huntsman Revere?

Yes, over the Dreamline because I have (2) Streamlines.
Maybe, over the Revere, because of the magazine insertion direction, but that's the problem of not being able to see things before ordering.

Happy? Yes, and if it finally manages to out perform the Streamlines, I'll be in the market for a second S510 with whatever all those letters mean.

I adjusted the trigger to 16.1 oz with reduced travel. Will see how it feels after some use.

[Daryl]

Good review. Target groups might be a bonus later once it settles down and you find what it wants to shoot well.
Gord likes his S510. His is the dual tube version in .22, seems to me.

[Normk]

Hopefully, Gord will offer some observations and advice.

I would very much like to know what groups others achieve at 50, 100, and further.

Not that I expect to duplicate, but as an indication of what is possible.

[Daryl]

What I am aware of, in shooting with Gord indoors this last winter, is that his S510 in .22 seems to really like the Hades pellet.

[Normk]

What I am aware of, in shooting with Gord indoors this last winter, is that his S510 in .22 seems to really like the Hades pellet.

JSB Hades 15.89 gr?

I assume not Hades Monster 25.39 gr as those seem to be very heavy for a 510?

I will see if I can find some to test. Thanks!

[Daryl]

Yes, standard HADES pellet. That would be the 15.89gr. one.

[YepYep]

Not much shooting experience on the AA rifles as I only own a Pro Sport and shot my friend's 410 Super-lite for a few shots before.

But I can say the Air Arms put great efforts on making their guns look pretty and attractive~ The checkerings, bluing, grip, balance.... Well... it's hard to find someone else doing the same~

[Normk]

Not much shooting experience on the AA rifles as I only own a Pro Sport and shot my friend's 410 Super-lite for a few shots before.

But I can say the Air Arms put great efforts on making their guns look pretty and attractive~ The checkerings, bluing, grip, balance.... Well... it's hard to find someone else doing the same~

Yes, it is pretty. I can give it a lot of slack for appearance & finish,

The cocking effort is smoother than a hot knife through melted butter.

I wish that the magazines were clock spring, and that they didn't fit from the left as that prevents use of a parallax wheel.

If not for the magazine, and once I replace the fill adapter to a direct Foster, the gun will be super.

It's improving in terms of accuracy to hope still lives that it will match or exceed my two Streamlines.

Travis (Air Gun Source) cautioned me that I may have some large challenges in finding something to shoot medium weight pellets better than the Streamlines.

I'm thinking that I should have logged the number of pellets through my guns. It probably has ~500 by now but could be far off.

[grantmac]

I actually think the AA mags are head and shoulders above others because you can't double feed a pellet.

[Normk]

I've been shooting the S510 for a while and have put something over 1,000 pellets through it. Accuracy was improving, slightly, until suddenly it seemed to resolve whatever was the issue.

It is not as accurate as my two FX Streamlines, and having the same muzzle velocity, it uses the identical drop chart from 50 yards to 160 meters. Accuracy is as good, or might be slightly better, so I'm happy with the purchase. No word on the conversion to Foster for the fill, but I'm not in a hurry. The filler adapter seems to have a tiny leak as the pressure at the compressor gauge will slowly drop, so maybe I will change the O rings.

The Streamone13 magazine prototype is excellent so I have stopped using the AA magazines entirely. I ordered two more which should be here in the next few days.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/196605050685?_n ... BMuMqSsrdk

I see a $5 off offer for using the camera app.

Another project, if enthusiasm is sufficient, would be to redesign the magazine for a right hand insertion. Maybe later.

[Mac]

Used this Deben scope on my AA 410 after modifying the wheel so the mags could be loaded in from the left. Made sure I cut out the spot where there were no range numbers and could line up with where the mag was inserted. Worked well.

[Daryl]

I need to do that with my Aselkon ring.