Getting better with AGE - John Rothery Wholesale

16 AIRGUN SHOOTER

It may well be a 13-year-old model now, but the S410 isn’t anywhere near being pensioned off yet. Nigel Allen takes to the farm with the latest Super-lite model… and shows why it’s hard to put a good gun down

That the 400 Series of PCP air rifl es has been in production since the turn of this century – even longer if you consider the S300 models of the 1990s from which it evolved – bears testimony to Air Arms’

success as an airgunmaker. Quite simply, their S400 has established itself as the biggest-selling PCP model range in the modern age and – in PCP terms, at least – it ranks alongside famous guns like the BSA Meteor and Airsporter, and Webley’s barrel-over-the-cylinder pistol line. It certainly deserves its place in the airgun annals.

However, while we consider the S400 series as a single range, the British gunmaker certainly hasn’t just sat back on its laurels and churned out gun after gun. Far from it – the S400 line-up has been built upon to bring us many updates and model variations over the years, from target guns to take-downs, high-powered long rifl es to short-barrelled carbines… with a multitude of stocks along the way!

This month’s test subject is currently one of the hottest movers in the Air Arms stable, and while there’s a comfortable familiarity with the original 400 I tested around 13 years ago, it’s also bang on the button in terms of fashion and current trends in the PCP world. It’s the S410F Carbine Super-lite – the poplar-stocked 10-shot model, with a short action and carbine barrel. While the ‘10’ denotes it’s a magazine-driven

S400, the ‘F’ suffi x denotes the fancy new fl utes applied to various components on the rifl e. Super-lite refers to the new style woodwork – a third option to the heavier

It may well be a 13-year-old model now, but the S410 isn’t anywhere near It may well be a 13-year-old model now, but the S410 isn’t anywhere near being pensioned off yet. Nigel AllenNigel Allen takes to the farm with the latest

with AGEwithwithwith AGE AGE AGE AGE AGEwith AGEwith AGEGetting better

beech or more expensive walnut handles.

I’ll begin with the stock – my test rifl e’s being the Hunter’s Green, although traditional and high-gloss brown fi nishes are also available. Made in Italy by Minelli, it’s a good example of how far mass-production stockmaking has come in recent decades. It’s ambidextrous, with a scope-height cheek-piece on both sides that’s been heavily profi led by virtue of the indentations scalloped out beneath, with the belly also sporting a reverse curve to accentuate the butt’s sweeping lines.

Accoutrements include a ventilated rubber recoil pad – not that something this soft is needed on a recoilless PCP! – and a redwood-capped pistol grip, complete with a white line spacer (in wood). The forestock sports curves that aesthetically complement the butt, and stylish panels of chequering adorn the forestock and grip. The company’s familiar ‘AA’ logo is incorporated on the grip’s panels, while Minelli’s stamp is made via a small ‘m’ roundel etched into the gently rounded base of the forend.

All the chequering is best described as pristine by virtue of its laser-accurate application. And even though it’s presented as ‘cuts’ in the surface,

A ventilated rubber butt pad

rounds off the S410 Super-lite’s

Minelli stock – shown here in

Hunter’s Green

beech or more expensive walnut handles.

I’ll begin with the stock – my test rifl e’s being the Hunter’s Green, although traditional and high-gloss brown fi nishes are also available. Made in Italy by Minelli, it’s a good example of how far mass-production stockmaking has come in recent decades. It’s ambidextrous, with a scope-height cheek-piece on both sides that’s been heavily profi led by virtue of the indentations scalloped out beneath, with the belly also sporting a reverse curve to accentuate the butt’s sweeping lines.

Accoutrements include a ventilated rubber recoil pad – not that something this soft is needed on a recoilless PCP! – and a redwood-capped pistol grip, complete with a white line spacer (in wood). The forestock sports curves that aesthetically complement the butt, and stylish panels of chequering adorn the forestock and grip. The company’s familiar ‘AA’ logo is incorporated on the grip’s panels, while Minelli’s stamp is made via a small ‘m’ roundel etched into the gently rounded base of the forend.

All the chequering is best described as pristine by virtue of its laser-accurate application. And even though it’s presented as ‘cuts’ in the surface,

The pistol grip is capped with redwood, and adorned with impressive panels of detailed chequering

016-020 Test AA S410F Carbine _Rev3_MHNEA.indd 16 17/5/13 15:34:13

TEST: S410F CARBINE SUPER-LITE

AIRGUN SHOOTER 17

rather than the pointed diamonds of traditional hand-chequering, it still provides enough roughness to aid grip – the main purpose of chequering. This is further accentuated by the incredibly smooth fi nish that’s applied to the rest of the woodwork, which feels very silk-like to the touch, and much better than most other mass-produced stocks.

With a hint of a Schnabel at the tip, I can’t fault the stock for looks – and many a gun shop will tell you it’s the well-balanced appearance that helps this rifl e to sell itself. In the fi eld, though, I have a couple of minor gripes, with emphasis on the word ‘minor’. I could have done with an extra ‘sail’ at the front of the forend’s chequering because I tended to place my leading hand ahead of the forward-most panel during much of my shooting.

And while I accept that ambi stocks are a useful selling feature, both right- and left-handers will, I’m sure, feel that there’s a little too much wood in the thumb muscle area of the grip. Yes, it’s risky to make a stock too thin at this point – which makes it vulnerable to breakage in transit – but it also rather undoes all the good work that the Minelli team has done in achieving an otherwise perfectly-shaped grip for your trigger hand.

One other point to make about the Super-lite stock. Being made from poplar wood, it’s less dense than beech and, thus, makes for a lighter rifl e. But it’s no lighter than walnut, so don’t let the name confuse you! For the record, the heavier beech stock – which is similar in shape but lacks the cheek’s undercuts – is right-hand only, though knocks £32 off the S410 Carbine Super-lite’s price. Walnut is available in both dedicated right- and left-hand versions, respectively priced at £49 and £61 more than the Super-lite’s hang-tag.

Cheaper than walnut, but equally as light, the Super-lite’s poplar

stock is a joy to handle


18 AIRGUN SHOOTER

The fl utes around the S410F are certainly eye-catching and becoming of a rifl e as shapely as this gun is. Suggesting a barrel’s rifl ing, they’re applied to the muzzle weight, inlet valve cover, breech block knuckle and the arm of the bolt handle – and there are also straighter grooves applied along the breech block and barrel collar.

While these artistic touches are of no practical value, the fl uted barrel knuckle, being machined from the block itself rather than a separate fi tting, does add strength and rigidity to this end of the barrel – important as the barrel not only free-fl oats within its front collar, but at just 12mm in diameter, it’s also quite thin.

One of the reasons why these rifl es have sold so well over the years is that they’re brilliantly simple – and that means reliable. Many gun shops see PCPs as being ‘overly complicated’, and that means they run the risk of their customers coming back because they’re either confused or unhappy in not being able to get the best out of their new rifl e. The S410, though, does what it’s supposed to do – shoot – and Air Arms

deserve a big round of applause for getting this element of the package absolutely perfect.

For some time now, they’ve been supplying their PCPs with a fool-proof, quick-fi ll charging system. Once connected to the charging hose (via the 1/8BSP male thread), the connector simply pushes over the rifl e’s inlet valve and locks into place with a twist courtesy of a ‘T’ bar system. It really does take any worry out of the charging procedure, and I’m a big fan of it – plus Air Arms fi t their inlet valve with a 20-micron, inline sintered fi lter that stops the dirt ingress that’s so often the cause of leaky PCPs.

Air Arms recommend a maximum fi ll-pressure of 190BAR for their S410, and claim 80-plus shots in .22 calibre (60 in .177). Of course, this will vary a little according to the weight of ammo you use, and as with most PCPs, you’ll need to experiment with where the ‘sweet spot’ – the fl attest part of the power curve – is for your particular rifl e/pellet combo. There is a manometer in the belly of the forestock to indicate on-board

Flutes appear on various parts of the rifl e – including the muzzle weight

deserve a big round of applause for getting this element of the package

For some time now, they’ve been supplying their PCPs with a fool-proof, quick-fi ll charging system. Once connected to the charging hose proof, quick-fi ll charging system. Once connected to the charging hose

BSP male thread), the connector simply pushes over the rifl e’s inlet valve and locks into place with a twist courtesy of a ‘T’ bar system. It really does take any worry out of the charging procedure, and I’m a

Right: The Super-lite test model’s shot-to-shot consistency proved superb

The fl utes around the S410F are certainly eye-catching and becoming of a rifl e as shapely as this gun is. Suggesting a barrel’s rifl ing, they’re applied to the muzzle weight, inlet valve cover, breech block knuckle and the arm of the bolt handle – and there are also straighter grooves and the arm of the bolt handle – and there are also straighter grooves applied along the breech block and barrel collar.

While these artistic touches are of no practical value, the fl uted barrel knuckle, being machined from the block itself rather than a separate

Air Arms’ quick-fi ll charging set-up includes a fi ller and

locking system… ...for a belt-and-braces air fi ll



AIRGUN SHOOTER 19

boosted my confi dence when it came to putting the rifl e through its accuracy paces on the range.

Air Arms equip their S410 with match-grade Walther barrels, and it’s rare that you’ll ever come across a rogue model that won’t shoot tight groups. My test gun was no exception, sticking in ragged one-holers at 30 yards with all but the

poorest ammo I tested. All the usual quality brands were impressively accurate at extreme ranges, too – and I printed a few 30mm groups on paper with the JSB-made AADF at 50 yards. For any unregulated .22 rifl e, that’s probably more than you should rightfully expect and further affi rms the benefi ts of superb shot-to-shot consistency.

Despite the thinned-out butt, the Super-lite’s native balance is actually quite rearward, but once a scope is on board, this makes the weight feel more biased toward neutral – in other words, between your hands – and it’s certainly a gun that can take a long scope without subsequently suffering from bad weight distribution.

However, the mounting point forward of the breech is quite short, so you may need a reach-forward mount when using a longer scope – though, when offering up a few of my own shorter scopes, I actually suffered with

air pressure – although (as always), I’d recommend you use a bigger gauge on your charging unit to meter the air. For the record, I found this gun’s gauge read 10BAR below that of my bottle’s.

As you can see from the power curve (below), my test rifl e’s consistency with 15.9-grain AADF ammo was nothing short of astounding – and that with ammo plucked straight from the tin, with no selective weighing. Considering the S410 doesn’t incorporate a separate air regulator, the shot-to-shot variation is tiny. Put another way, this rifl e’s ‘sweet spot’ is massive!

I don’t ever recall testing a PCP over the years that has this kind of consistency with unweighed pellets and I can only conclude that Air Arms really have mastered the art of making a valve. In addition to a decent level of power, the chrono also didn’t throw up any weird readings, which really

across a rogue model that won’t shoot tight groups. My test gun was no exception, sticking in ragged one-holers at 30 yards with all but the in ragged one-holers at 30 yards with all but the

poorest ammo I tested. All the usual quality brands poorest ammo I tested. All the usual quality brands were impressively accurate at extreme ranges, too – and I printed a few were impressively accurate at extreme ranges, too – and I printed a few 30mm groups on paper with the JSB-made AADF at 50 yards. For any 30mm groups on paper with the JSB-made AADF at 50 yards. For any unregulated .22 rifl e, that’s probably more than you should rightfully expect unregulated .22 rifl e, that’s probably more than you should rightfully expect and further affi rms the benefi ts of superb shot-to-shot consistency.and further affi rms the benefi ts of superb shot-to-shot consistency.

Despite the thinned-out butt, the Super-lite’s native balance is actually Despite the thinned-out butt, the Super-lite’s native balance is actually quite rearward, but once a scope is on board, this makes the weight feel quite rearward, but once a scope is on board, this makes the weight feel more biased toward neutral – in other words, between your hands – and it’s more biased toward neutral – in other words, between your hands – and it’s certainly a gun that can take a long scope without subsequently suffering certainly a gun that can take a long scope without subsequently suffering from bad weight distribution. from bad weight distribution.

air pressure – although (as always), I’d recommend you use a bigger gauge on your charging unit to meter the air. For the record, I found this gun’s gauge read 10BAR below that of my bottle’s.

(below), my test rifl e’s consistency (below), my test rifl e’s consistency (below)with 15.9-grain AADF ammo was nothing short of astounding – and that with ammo plucked straight from the tin, with no selective weighing. Considering the S410 doesn’t incorporate a separate air regulator, the shot-to-shot variation is tiny. Put another way, this rifl e’s ‘sweet spot’ is massive!

I don’t ever recall testing a PCP over the years that has this kind of

The scope-mounting point forward of the breech is quite short. Note the stop pin


20 AIRGUN SHOOTER

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS MAKER: Air Arms, UK

MODEL: S410F Carbine Super-lite

TYPE: Multishot precharged pneumatic

COCKING: Bolt-action

CALIBRE: .177 and .22 (tested)

MAGAZINE: 10-shot rotary, removable

FILL PRESSURE: 190BAR

SHOTS PER FILL: .177 – 60+ (manuf. claim); .22 - XX (actual)

OVERALL LENGTH: 910mm

BARREL LENGTH: 395mm

WEIGHT: 2.84kg (excluding scope)

SIGHTS: None fi tted. 11mm scope rails, two-part breech

STOCK: Poplar, ambidextrous sporter (Hunter’s Green shown)

LENGTH OF PULL: 360mm

TRIGGER: Two-stage, adjustable

SAFETY: Manual, resettable

SRP: £639

CONTACT: Air Arms ● 01323 845853 ● www.air-arms.co.uk


not being able to bring the scope back far enough to my eye. There’s a stop pin on the front mounting area to relieve stress from over-clamping on a sensitive area of the breech and I found that the saddle of all my scopes easily cleared the magazine with medium-height Sportsmatch and BKL mounts, the latter on show here. This is actually a good point – many multishots require higher mounts in order to clear the magazine.

As to the Air Arms magazine itself, there’s little I can add to much of what’s already been documented on this well-proven system. Its 10-shot aluminium chamber sits within a plastic cassette that’s been shaped to aid insertion and removal – and there’s even a ridged area for your thumb and forefi nger to grip when tugging it out, against the tension of its spring-clip cleat.

It gets indexed automatically via a simple pawl mechanism within the breech, this being activated when the bolt is pulled rearwards. Simply lift up the bolt from its locked position and draw back – you need to give it a quick yank – to rotate the magazine to the next chamber (and cock the trigger/hammer). Returning the bolt then feeds the waiting pellet into the rifl ing – and during my test period, everything worked fl awlessly.

Compared to early versions, the S410’s bolt is now much sturdier, too, locking into place far more solidly. My only caveat is to beware of double-loading. If you draw back the bolt to check if the gun’s been cocked or not, you will re-index the magazine and end up loading a second shot up the spout.

Once cocked, it’s best to engage the manual safety catch – a push-button system that, of all places, is to be found halfway up the trigger blade! I won’t repeat myself as I’ve said how poor – and potentially

dangerous – I think this design is. It works… but is the trigger blade really the safest place for a safety catch to be positioned? I don’t think so – but clearly Air Arms doesn’t share my concern as it’s been an element of the 400’s design for years now.

I was a little surprised at how much creep the trigger exuded on my test rifl e – maybe the person on the trigger assembly line was having an off-day or something! No matter, the S410’s trigger has evolved into a superb unit, and offers plenty of adjustment for its two stages. The user’s manual provides very clear and concise instructions on how to alter it, and after 20 minutes or so, I had a very crisp let-off, just how I like it. That said, I did think the lateral play of the blade was a little on the generous side on my test sample. Indeed, it was enough to allow the edges of the blade to ‘rub’ against the side plates, which was noticeable in the release. It’s a shame, as it rather negated the otherwise very precise feel of one of the best-engineered triggers on a sporting PCP – as you can see from the image below, which shows the trigger in full-cock with its side plates removed.

Not that it was to the detriment of my ability to shoot the rifl e accurately, however – nor spoil my utter enjoyment of shooting this gun. The S410 gets results with relative ease, primarily because it’s so well engineered throughout and partly because it feels so ‘right’ in your shoulder. It’s not hard to see why the 400 Series has been such a big hit for so long – and if Air Arms keeps coming up with innovative new takes on the S400 chassis, then I can’t see the gun being pensioned off any time soon. The S410F Carbine in Super-lite guise is proof that no matter how old a design may be, it’s nigh-on impossible to put a good gun down! ●

Air Arms’ 10-shot magazine sits within a

plastic cassette

Raising and pulling the sturdy bolt rearwards indexes the next pellet. Note

the new fl utes on the ‘F’ model

The S410’s trigger has evolved into a superb unit, offering plenty of adjustment


Documents

Getting better with AGE - John Rothery Wholesale