Death of the Bolt action.

[Engraver]

I do like a bolt action, and they do look nice, eg: traditional, I have an AA s410 TDR, but....TBH most modern side levers are much easier to cock, smoother, quieter, etc.

Not all bolt actions are equal and same goes for sidelevers

For example is a wobbly cricket sidelever equal to a Ripley XL1 bolt?

Like I said I like some good sidelevers and I like some bolt actions but airarms bolts are not in the catagory of like for me, their sticky feel is not my cup of tea do I prefer a sidelever on a hw100 to a bolt on a s410 hell yeah.

Do I prefer the bolt action on a Rapid to a sidelever on a say an fx drs again yes.

So many comparisons but imagine a fx drs with a nice bolt action that would be something I would definately buy into personally, dont know about anyone else.

But im talking what about if a manufacterer decided to engineer a bolt system that felt better than anything that had come before it something smooth yet robust, i just think that would be super cool.

 

[rockdrill]

plenty of airarms came through that door maybe one every few weeks with cocking issues or indexing post spring issues, because obviously they have always been a popular gun,heres one brand of gun where I prefer their sidelever to its bolt its airarms for sure.

Now the indexing post spring is one aspect I will wholeheartedly agree on, it was a gash bit of design, but fortunately that has been sorted with the later version - it is the one aspect I will immediately upgrade to with any older 310 or 410 that passes through my hands.

This is the only multishot AA I currently own, an early S310 that I have upgraded with the brass seal carrier on the barrel, the first 310's didn't have that and could be very variable in terms of performance, especially in .177, I have also upgraded to the latest index post, modified the trigger to the three sear configuration and a 400 Series firing valve pot, fitted a 520mm cylinder and a muzzle brake. The stock was a lucky find a very rare factory walnut sporter.

Have you ever used airarms sidelevers like the s510 ? Ive had a few ultimate sporters and like I said, if theres one brand of gun where I prefer their sidelever to its bolt its airarms for sure.

I haven't owned any of the 500 series, but I have shot and HFT500, I found it nice enough, but as I don't personally have an issue with the bolt action I wouldn't be looking to buy the sidelever action.

The only sidelever AA pre-charged gun I currently own is one of the EV2 prototypes that was built by the late Ken Turner:



I actually prefer it with the loading tray over the straight to barrel feed of the production EV2's - much easier on a cold winter's day. It originally had a Wegu adjustable rubber butt pad fitted, I changed it for the Steyr butt plate as seen as I find it comfortable and it is visually in keeping witgh the rest of the rifle - I made a set of rods to fit the base plate so it is a straight switch for the item that Ken fitted without any permanent change to the rifle.

 

[Engraver]

Now the indexing post spring is one aspect I will wholeheartedly agree on, it was a gash bit of design, but fortunately that has been sorted with the later version - it is the one aspect I will immediately upgrade to with any older 310 or 410 that passes through my hands.

This is the only multishot AA I currently own, an early S310 that I have upgraded with the brass seal carrier on the barrel, the first 310's didn't have that and could be very variable in terms of performance, especially in .177, I have also upgraded to the latest index post, modified the trigger to the three sear configuration and a 400 Series firing valve pot, fitted a 520mm cylinder and a muzzle brake. The stock was a lucky find a very rare factory walnut sporter.

View attachment 921172

View attachment 921173 View attachment 921169



I haven't owned any of the 500 series, but I have shot and HFT500, I found it nice enough, but as I don't personally have an issue with the bolt action I wouldn't be looking to buy the sidelever action.

The only sidelever AA pre-charged gun I currently own is one of the EV2 prototypes that was built by the late Ken Turner:

View attachment 921175 View attachment 921177

I actually prefer it with the loading tray over the straight to barrel feed of the production EV2's - much easier on a cold winter's day. It originally had a Wegu adjustable rubber butt pad fitted, I changed it for the Steyr butt plate as seen as I find it comfortable and it is visually in keeping witgh the rest of the rifle - I made a set of rods to fit the base plate so it is a straight switch for the item that Ken fitted without any permanent change to the rifle.

Lovely looking s310 that is, I especially like that stock, I much prefer the classic lines of the 1990s cylinder guns over the newer tactical stuff on the market today

 

[rockdrill]

Although I have a scalloped block Mk2 Rapid that you can thumb a pellet straight into the bore it cocks like a hot knife through butter, and can splat flys at 50 yrds, its bloody lovely.

I did have a nice Rapid 17 (Mk1 type) over twenty years ago, it was overall a well built rifle and accurate, the one area I would be critical of was the Gamo trigger it was fitted with, it worked adequately but to my eye it is very much out of place on a rifle of its price point.

 

[rockdrill]

Lovely looking s310 that is, I like that stock

The walnut ambidextrous sporter stocks seem to be extremely rare, to date I only recall seeing four or five of them, including this one I stumbled across on e-bay and won for silly cheap money.

One other aspect of the early S310's I also found crap was the magazines originally had a plastic rotor and they were really not nice in operation, as soon as AA changed to the alloy rotors they became so much smoother and nicer to use.

 

[Engraver]

The last airarms bolt action I had was some years ago was a S400 GML in an ultimate sporter stock, the bolt on that was nicer than an average airarms to be fair.

But had a daystate regal at the same time which I just prefered found to be lighter better trigger smoother bolt action and more accurate, the gml went, I replaced it with an ultimate sporter at the time as the sidelever on it was in my opnion a big improvement over the airarms bolt.

I Have owned various mk1 rapids in my time the gammo triggers have been fine, but yes i prefer a mk2 trigger.

 

[rockdrill]

Lovely looking s310 that is, I especially like that stock, I much prefer the classic lines of the 1990s cylinder guns over the newer tactical stuff on the market today

I concure the older pre-charged rifles do have an elegance about them, whether sporting or target oriented.

I have a feeling that S300 walnut sporter stock (and to a degree the beech stock) took some inspiration from the earlier XM-100 stock:

I have owned various mk1 rapids in my time the gammo triggers have been fine, but yes i prefer a mk2 trigger.

As I said the Gamo trigger was adequate, but the Rapid was very much a premium priced rifle when it was in production, so having a trigger off a very much budget springer is decidedly at odds with the overall quality and price tag.

 

[P8X]

For me, there are some rifles that feel just right with bolt action and some that are better with sidelever

I think that is just a reflection on how well (or badly) some are designed.

For my 20 year old Harrier, I wouldn't want anything but the bolt action it has. Silky smooth action, short throw and pull, with solid lockup

Likewise, I couldn't imagine a Steyr LG110 without it's very well designed sidelever action. Effortless and precise

A Rapid (or variant) wouldn't feel the same, without the superb bolt action, yet the very similar bolt action on a BSA S10, feels clunky and out of place

I don't need speed, from either as all my shooting is single shot

 

[Sweep]

I have a mixture of both types... The bolt on my Daystate MKIV is the slickest simply because it does nothing except put a pellet in the breech.

Overall, I'd say I prefer a sidelever... I find it easier to maintain my head position using one. As with all things though, some are better than others.

 

[Mike Woody Watkins]

Although l do like the traditional style of a bolt action I’m happy using both, however l hate to admit that side levers can be slicker and nicer to use, especially when hunting.

 

[Steve sxs 1;]

I see no point in bolt actions. Theyre only there to pretend its live fire. Side levers are so much more effective

Always someone to pee on the bonfire lol

 

[P8X]

Although l do like the traditional style of a bolt action I’m happy using both, however l hate to admit that side levers can be slicker and nicer to use, especially when hunting.

I think the mechanical advantage offered by sidelevers, adds to that feeling Mike, but possibly with added complexity too

Comparing the BSA SE bolt action to the HW sidelever, makes the BSA bolt action look crude, but I think that's more a symptom of crude cost cutting on the standard BSA action build. My regged SE's with stainless probes are far slicker than the factory setup, with far less effort needed to cycle and for me, perform better than the HW sidelever

 

[Mike Woody Watkins]

I think the mechanical advantage offered by sidelevers, adds to that feeling Mike, but possibly with added complexity too

Comparing the BSA SE bolt action to the HW sidelever, makes the BSA bolt action look crude, but I think that's more a symptom of crude cost cutting on the standard BSA action build. My regged SE's with stainless probes are far slicker than the factory setup, with far less effort needed to cycle and for me, perform better than the HW sidelever

Yes I know what you mean. My Ratworks R10 is far smoother than my Ultra SE but my BRK Ghost SL is on a different level.

However, l know someone with a Reximex Pretensis and the side lever is, for want of a better term, very agricultural.

 

[Engraver]

I think the mechanical advantage offered by sidelevers, adds to that feeling Mike, but possibly with added complexity too

Comparing the BSA SE bolt action to the HW sidelever, makes the BSA bolt action look crude, but I think that's more a symptom of crude cost cutting on the standard BSA action build. My regged SE's with stainless probes are far slicker than the factory setup, with far less effort needed to cycle and for me, perform better than the HW sidelever

I agree ive put a stainless probe in my R10 matched with the slightly stiffer spring on the ratworks lightweight hammer I love the way it cocks its very slick, very short throw cocking action literally give it a little nudge back and it clicks so easy, I put a smear of ptfe grease on the shaft every now and then keeps it all nice and slick.

Definately wont be swapping it for an R12 sidelever.

 

[P8X]

Yes I know you mean. My Ratworks R10 is far smoother than my Ultra SE but my BRK Ghost SL is on a different level.

However, l know someone with a Reximex Pretensis and the side lever is, for want of a better term, very agricultural.

Yep and I think that confirms my earlier point

I tried a club members Cricket some months ago
The sidelever action was possibly the roughest I've ever felt. Felt like the probe was being drawn back, through emery cloth

 

[Engraver]

Yep and I think that confirms my earlier point

I tried a club members Cricket some months ago
The sidelever action was possibly the roughest I've ever felt. Felt like the probe was being drawn back, through emery cloth

I know mate not nice are they but when they were introduced everyone was rushing out to buy them, not me I stuck with my hw100s and rapids, thought these are tried and tested designs, i took one look at their side levers and thought that doesnt look too well engineered.

 

[P8X]

I agree ive put a stainless probe in my R10 matched with the slightly stiffer spring on the ratworks lightweight hammer I love the way it cocks its very slick, very short throw cocking action literally give it a little nudge back and it clicks so easy, I put a smear of ptfe grease on the shaft every now and then keeps it all nice and slick.

Definately wont be swapping it for an R12 sidelever.

Yeah my ultra SE's are off the scale
No effort to return the bolt handle to lockup either. They just fall in and lock up on their own, when the probe is home.
All I've done in terms of lube is a dab of moly on the detent hole in the probe

 

[Engraver]

Yeah my ultra SE's are off the scale
No effort to return the bolt handle to lockup either. They just fall in and lock up on their own, when the probe is home.
All I've done in terms of lube is a dab of moly on the detent hole in the probe

Yes me too did you also use the ptfe ball bearing?

I experimented with both and to be honest I think I used the steel one back in as it just felt better in the detent, and it wont wear the stainless shaft like you say a dab of molly on it is all it needs.

 

[P8X]

Yes me too did you also use the ptfe ball bearing?

I experimented with both and to be honest I think I used the steel one back in as it just felt better in the detent, and it wont wear the stainless shaft like you say a dab of molly on it is all it needs.

No I checked the steel ball and it was unmarked on all the ones I've done, so never went to a plastic one
The plated probes were the issue, not the steel detent balls

 

[SpookyESU]

I still have the worlds worst bolt loader..a Haenel 310
It’s older than I am but still occasional fun