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THE ULIMATE SPORTER
The Air Arms S510, released in 2008, had proven to be an extremely successful range of rifles. There was very little, if anything, that Air Arms could do to improve the reliability, efficiency & accuracy of the rifle so attention turned to ergonomics.
With the focus on hunters, Air Arms set out to create a rifle that would allow the shooter to have all the adjustability of a target rifle in a sporting gun
With only minor changes to be made to the S510 action for the sub 12 foot pound version, Air Arms worked with shooters to create a new fully adjustable stock. After much toing & froing with numerous prototypes supplied by Italian stock makers Minelli, a new stock was finally settled on.
In December 2013 the Ultimate Sporter was launched.
The sub 12 foot pound ultra-carbine version of the Ultimate Sporter has a cylinder shorter than that of the standard S510 at 300mm. The shroud is also shorter & came with a new caliber specific moderator.
Two high power versions were offered – the “Classic FAC” with a 400mm cylinder & the “Xtra FAC” with a 520mm cylinder. Both featured a longer barrel than that of the carbine sub 12 foot pound version.
Airgun Wolrd - February 2014 - Review Pt1
Receiving rave reviews & being heralded by the likes of Airgun World editor Terry Doe as the future of top grade sporting rifles, the Ultimate Sporter was a runaway success.
Early in 2014 Air Arms stated: “Demand has exceeded our expectation by quite an astonishing degree. We are pleased that our belief in the appeal of a full-control sporter has proved to be so well founded.”
The actions for the 3 versions were only slightly modified from those used on the standard S510 versions & featured:
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Adjustable 2-stage trigger with built in safety
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10-shot magazine system (The magazines have a smoky grey plate rather than the yellow ones found with the standard S510)
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Push fit T-bar filling valve
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Pressure gauge
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Matt finish to shroud
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Matt finish & fluting to the end of moderator on the carbine & Classic FAC versions
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Fluting around end of the shroud on the Xtra FAC version
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Fluting to the fill valve cover & barrel band
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Blacked cylinder
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White graphics
The Ultimate Sporter was initially only offered in a black/brown/grey laminate stock & featured:
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Adjustable butt pad with facility to add spacers to increase length of pull
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Ball-joint mounted ambidextrous cheek-piece with multi-directional adjustability
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Curved grip with stippling
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Built in accessory rail
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Sling studs – the front one on the accessory rail and the rear one integrated on to the cheek-piece post
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Fore-end grooves to aid handling
Airgun World - March 2014 - Review Pt2
At 2018’s Shot Show in Los Angeles unveiled the updated Ultimate Sporter range with the introduction of new stock options & regulated versions.
2 new stock options were introduced – a black “soft touch” stock and a walnut stock.
There was now the option of a regulated sub 12 foot pound carbine version.
The 2 high power versions now came regulated as standard. The Classic FAC was renamed as the XS & the Xtra FAC renamed as the XS Xtra.
Since its launch the Ultimate Sporter has won numerous awards, including the Great British Shooting Awards “Airgun of the Year” inn2019 & 2020.
More information about the Ultimate Sporter range can be found HERE.