Un-sponsored Video Review of Air Arms S510 FAC (in .22)

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If I had bought new, knowing what I know now, I'd probably get a carbine version with the walnut thumbhole stock. Those are more expensive though. 

Mine was used and was in the right caliber, so I didn't worry much about the stock. Carbine is definitely the way to go though, if you're going to add a moderator to make it properly quiet.

What don't you like about the power adjuster, cahil? The fact that it is not 100% repeatable or you'd just prefer not to have it at all?
 
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I have an S510 Carbine Xtra in the fancy walnut stock and it is my go to small game hunting gun. I’ve taken countless squirrels, rabbits and grouse with it and it never fails me. I keep my power wheel locked at 75% and have dialed up the screw tension so it stays there.

For those of you northerners, this gun seems to be very very very cold resistant. I’ve had frost form on it at -20 Celsius and it always gives reliable performance.
 
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Thanks for the video Jeremy. I had an S500 with walnut stock and it was the most beautiful rifle I've owned to date. Once I got it, I hardly ever wanted to shoot the Marauder anymore. Then I bought a used .177 Cricket Carbine and it just blew them both out of the water. Sold the S500 and the Marauder.
That being said I have bought a very expensive .177 Thomas FT rifle and the Cricket rifle is riding it's heels. Not as consistently accurate as the Thomas but only misses it by a hair. I don't see myself selling the Cricket. Another reason for keeping the Cricket is the 14 round magazines. It comes in handy for plinking and when I get new shooters over they can concentrate on shooting more than loading.

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So what does the power wheel do if it does not reduce the amount of air being forced behind the pellet for each shot??
If it doesn't save the air, where does it go? It can't be behind the pellet. 

It's fully shrouded, but as you said, it looses effectiveness above the 12 fpe intended design. I know my Regal is not very quiet either. I think the UK, German, and Swedish air gun makers need to realize that if you are going to drop $1,000 to $1,500 for an air rifle, it needs to be quiet, period.

It is ridiculous that everyone is going out and buying TKO's, Sumo's, NC's, etc. Nothing against these guys for meeting a need on the aftermarket, but you would think the tech is there for the manufacturers to make them very, very quiet. 

 
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"BeachGunner"So what does the power wheel do if it does not reduce the amount of air being forced behind the pellet for each shot??
If it doesn't save the air, where does it go? It can't be behind the pellet. 

It's fully shrouded, but as you said, it looses effectiveness above the 12 fpe intended design. I know my Regal is not very quiet either. I think the UK, German, and Swedish air gun makers need to realize that if you are going to drop $1,000 to $1,500 for an air rifle, it needs to be quiet, period.

It is ridiculous that everyone is going out and buying TKO's, Sumo's, NC's, etc. Nothing against these guys for meeting a need on the aftermarket, but you would think the tech is there for the manufacturers to make them very, very quiet. 


Click to expand...
The power wheel is just an adjustment that controls the size of the transfer port. So without adjusting hammer strike its debatable if it increases shot count by lowering it and if it does increase shot count it will be minimal. I never seemed to get many more shots with the power wheel but if all you care about is the flexibility of going from sub 12 fpe to 30 fpe it works great.

I have my S510 carbine up for sale currently but its still one of my favorite rifles and its gonna be hard to see it leave if it sales.
 
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With a smaller transfer port which is what the lower power settings are, you will get a lot of wasted air.

Closing up the transfer port does not change the amount of air that has charged the plenum.

Think of it this way if you have a 2 liter bottle of soda and shake it up.
You have the same amount of pressure and soda whether you poke a pin hole in
it or take the lid off.

The difference is if you poke a pin hole in it, it sprays a little at first and the rest just dribbles out.
If you take the lid off it all comes out in one shot.
Using this analogy, when it is a pin hole the first little spray launches the pellet and the rest dribbles out after the pellet is gone.

Obviously it is faster than this but this is all part of the discussions of wasted air.

Hopefully that is not confusing.

 
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"BeachGunner"It's fully shrouded, but as you said, it looses effectiveness above the 12 fpe intended design. I know my Regal is not very quiet either. I think the UK, German, and Swedish air gun makers need to realize that if you are going to drop $1,000 to $1,500 for an air rifle, it needs to be quiet, period.

It is ridiculous that everyone is going out and buying TKO's, Sumo's, NC's, etc. Nothing against these guys for meeting a need on the aftermarket, but you would think the tech is there for the manufacturers to make them very, very quiet. 


Click to expand...
I agree Michael. For now, they are getting away with it because people have bought the guns because everything ELSE about them is so nice. The were originally designed for the Euro 12 FPE market and didn't bother to make them properly quiet for the USA.

They DO lose a lot of sales to Marauders, I bet: 1/2 the cost, 3/4 the performance, and properly quiet at FAC power levels. With the Gauntlet, Coyote, Urban and regulated Marauder out now, they will slowly lose more and more sales to buyers who are on the fence as to whether the Euro guns really ARE worth the extra money. At least until they make their guns quiet PERIOD.
 
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"BeachGunner"So what does the power wheel do if it does not reduce the amount of air being forced behind the pellet for each shot??
If it doesn't save the air, where does it go? It can't be behind the pellet. 
Click to expand...
It DOES increase shot count, though not quite proportionally to the power loss.
On full power, (5/5) I get about 35 shots per fill. Full power is not that efficient. It's about 32 FPE for 35 shots.
On 4/5 power, (30 FPE) I get a solid 40 shots.
I've got it set now at 2/5 power. I've shot two mags through it, (18 rounds) and the manometer still reads maybe 190 bar. I'm sure I'll get at least 50 shots out of this fill, probably more.
One power 1/5, I don't know. I'll have to keep tabs on it next time I have a long plinking session.

The REAL drawback, (to me, at least) is that the velocity always varies across the fill. The Power Curve, one always has to be aware of it. This will have an effect on long range accuracy. Maybe mandating that it only be shot from 190 to 160 bar, instead of 200 to 140 for shots beyond 50 or 60 yards?

Well, it hasn't been an issue for me yet. All my hunting shots have been inside of 50 yards, and probably 85% of them inside of 20 yards.

If/when it does become an issue, I understand it is not a big deal to drop a Huma in it. The air tube is big enough to accommodate it without losing a significant part of its volume.
 
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"terrymc"With a smaller transfer port which is what the lower power settings are, you will get a lot of wasted air.

Closing up the transfer port does not change the amount of air that has charged the plenum.

Think of it this way if you have a 2 liter bottle of soda and shake it up.
You have the same amount of pressure and soda whether you poke a pin hole in
it or take the lid off.

The difference is if you poke a pin hole in it, it sprays a little at first and the rest just dribbles out.
If you take the lid off it all comes out in one shot.
Using this analogy, when it is a pin hole the first little spray launches the pellet and the rest dribbles out after the pellet is gone.

Obviously it is faster than this but this is all part of the discussions of wasted air.

Hopefully that is not confusing.

Click to expand...
No, that is not confusing. Great analogy actually. That seems like an odd way to do it, but what do I know? :)
 
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"Smaug"
"BeachGunner"It's fully shrouded, but as you said, it looses effectiveness above the 12 fpe intended design. I know my Regal is not very quiet either. I think the UK, German, and Swedish air gun makers need to realize that if you are going to drop $1,000 to $1,500 for an air rifle, it needs to be quiet, period.

It is ridiculous that everyone is going out and buying TKO's, Sumo's, NC's, etc. Nothing against these guys for meeting a need on the aftermarket, but you would think the tech is there for the manufacturers to make them very, very quiet. 


Click to expand...
I agree Michael. For now, they are getting away with it because people have bought the guns because everything ELSE about them is so nice. The were originally designed for the Euro 12 FPE market and didn't bother to make them properly quiet for the USA.

They DO lose a lot of sales to Marauders, I bet: 1/2 the cost, 3/4 the performance, and properly quiet at FAC power levels. With the Gauntlet, Coyote, Urban and regulated Marauder out now, they will slowly lose more and more sales to buyers who are on the fence as to whether the Euro guns really ARE worth the extra money. At least until they make their guns quiet PERIOD.
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Jeremy, 

Yup, they are getting away with it for now. As you point out however, things are ramping up in competition, and consumers are looking at these high price tags and going, "So, after I spend that amount of money, I STILL need to buy something else to make it what I want??". 
That won't last. 
 
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"LDP"
"BeachGunner"So what does the power wheel do if it does not reduce the amount of air being forced behind the pellet for each shot??
If it doesn't save the air, where does it go? It can't be behind the pellet. 

It's fully shrouded, but as you said, it looses effectiveness above the 12 fpe intended design. I know my Regal is not very quiet either. I think the UK, German, and Swedish air gun makers need to realize that if you are going to drop $1,000 to $1,500 for an air rifle, it needs to be quiet, period.

It is ridiculous that everyone is going out and buying TKO's, Sumo's, NC's, etc. Nothing against these guys for meeting a need on the aftermarket, but you would think the tech is there for the manufacturers to make them very, very quiet. 


Click to expand...
The power wheel is just an adjustment that controls the size of the transfer port. So without adjusting hammer strike its debatable if it increases shot count by lowering it and if it does increase shot count it will be minimal. I never seemed to get many more shots with the power wheel but if all you care about is the flexibility of going from sub 12 fpe to 30 fpe it works great.

I have my S510 carbine up for sale currently but its still one of my favorite rifles and its gonna be hard to see it leave if it sales.
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm wrong. Terry's explanation makes sense. I'll need to shoot a chrony string, I guess, instead of going from memory. If you're the guy I'm thinking of (Leland?) I think you've got an R-10 also, so the british PCP base is covered either way. 

I was thinking of an R-10 (regulated) or the S510 (unregulated, but power-adjustable). I went with the S510 because of the ability to dial the power down. Will be good for indoor winter practice.
 
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"Smaug"
"BeachGunner"So what does the power wheel do if it does not reduce the amount of air being forced behind the pellet for each shot??
If it doesn't save the air, where does it go? It can't be behind the pellet. 
Click to expand...
It DOES increase shot count, though not quite proportionally to the power loss.
On full power, (5/5) I get about 35 shots per fill. Full power is not that efficient. It's about 32 FPE for 35 shots.
On 4/5 power, (30 FPE) I get a solid 40 shots.
I've got it set now at 2/5 power. I've shot two mags through it, (18 rounds) and the manometer still reads maybe 190 bar. I'm sure I'll get at least 50 shots out of this fill, probably more.
One power 1/5, I don't know. I'll have to keep tabs on it next time I have a long plinking session.

The REAL drawback, (to me, at least) is that the velocity always varies across the fill. The Power Curve, one always has to be aware of it. This will have an effect on long range accuracy. Maybe mandating that it only be shot from 190 to 160 bar, instead of 200 to 140 for shots beyond 50 or 60 yards?

Well, it hasn't been an issue for me yet. All my hunting shots have been inside of 50 yards, and probably 85% of them inside of 20 yards.

If/when it does become an issue, I understand it is not a big deal to drop a Huma in it. The air tube is big enough to accommodate it without losing a significant part of its volume.
Click to expand...
Yea, being new to PCP's, I don't understand why manufacturers, especially high end ones selling guns for over $1,000, don't make EVERY rifle a regulated one. What could the possible drawback be? Aftermarket regulators are maybe $100 to the consumer, so a manufacturer who buys 5K of them will pay $50 maybe??

I'm hoping the industry just moves to regulated PCP's across the board and one day all shooters can say goodbye to the power curve. Too much guesswork for me sometimes. Am I on my 2nd or 3rd mag with the Regal? Pain in the butt.
 
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"BeachGunner"
Click to expand...
Yea, being new to PCP's, I don't understand why manufacturers, especially high end ones selling guns for over $1,000, don't make EVERY rifle a regulated one. What could the possible drawback be? Aftermarket regulators are maybe $100 to the consumer, so a manufacturer who buys 5K of them will pay $50 maybe??

I'm hoping the industry just moves to regulated PCP's across the board and one day all shooters can say goodbye to the power curve. Too much guesswork for me sometimes. Am I on my 2nd or 3rd mag with the Regal? Pain in the butt.
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Its mainly the Brittish manufacturers that are having a hard time adjusting, air arms tried it in the galahad but it wasnt the greatest. Rest of the euro bunch do regulate their guns. FX, steyer, fwb, weirauch cricket and vulcan.

Brittish old tech and el cheapo stuff like benjamin and gamo do not.

oh yea smaug btw 12fpe is not a euro thing its a uk. I think only the uk and czech? have a 12fpe limit. Sweden at 10, germany at 7.5 :D. spain has some wierd laws about unlimted 177 / 22 but cant use anything larger. Its all over the place, a standard would be nice but living in a no limits parts its just going to make it worse for me so lets hope it wont happen :D

 
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