80s Air arms tap loading sidelevers...

[Shed tuner]

Stripped down my newly acquired hi-power for the first time today (thanks mac1); a bit down on power, and a bit twangy - not so surprising for a 30 year old gun.

Figured I'd share some observations;

27.5mm bore, 80mm stroke, o-ring head. Makes 12 Fp easy

Piston is just 205 grams, which is probably why they shoot quite nicely. In another format (e.g. break barrel) with less lost volume, that could be quite bouncy in 27.5mm, but with the lost volume of a tap, it balances very nicely (well certainly in .22)

Rear guide fixed to block a la FWB sport.. great for stability, annoying for spring choice.

Replaced the spring with one which was a decent fit on the guide (unlike the original), then made up another piston sleave (it has what looks like a factory sleave already) as the piston-spring clearance was way too big. Slopped on some moly grease and zero twang

Decent ABT mechanism (if you let slip which cocking), although not needed with a tap whilst loading. In fact on the first diesel shot post rebuild, the ABT actually trapped the piston back about 1" on it's bounce cycle - which gives me an idea

Piston piston head o-ring was a little loose so replaced with fraction larger, but I think this is just down to wear. 3mm CS.

Trigger is basic but functional. Seems to be single stage.

On the chrono it likes LRGs and superdomes, hates accys.


All in all quite decent really, shoots nicely; I may look for a wooden stocked one.

[Artfull-Bodger]

Any idea what make barrel was used Jon?

[bighit]

I gas rammed mine. had to chop a bit off the spring guide as per the instructions. if I remember right it was not too bad to shoot.


I had a full length gunpower moderator on mine and a red dot laser inside the fore stock under the barrel. just a small hole for the laser to shine out.

I should never have sold it.

[Geezer]

Any idea what make barrel was used Jon?

John Walter says they were German-made, and so the .22" was a proper continental 5.5mm. Don't know which make though.

[Artfull-Bodger]

John Walter says they were German-made, and so the .22" was a proper continental 5.5mm. Don't know which make though.

Probably LW then, I wondered if they used Webley or BSA barrels back then.

[TonyL]

Again, yet another excellent and informative post, Jon; thank you.

I had never shot an AA sidelever before the Boinger Bash events, but have now managed to blag a few shots with a few different variants and love 'em. Must get one, one day.

[Shed tuner]

I had never shot an AA sidelever before the Boinger Bash events, but have now managed to blag a few shots with a few different variants and love 'em. Must get one, one day.

Same here, I was pleasantly surprised.. I think my expectations were damaged after shooting that other 80's tap loading sidelever "classic", the wobley tracker

[Geezer]

Same here, I was pleasantly surprised.. I think my expectations were damaged after shooting that other 80's tap loading sidelever "classic", the wobley tracker

Which makes me wonder why that's the case, given that the two designs are at least superficially quite similar. Lighter piston in the Jackal/AA? Better spring guide?

[imorik]

Had a few AA sidelevers. Bought a Bora carbine .22 new when they first came out. Had a SE90 and a Khamsin .177 both 2nd hand. Not the easiest rifle to strip but with a little knowledge they're doable. Problem lies with spares becoming very scarce, espeially trigger parts. Did have quite a bit of info about them on my 'puter, not sure where it is now though since upgrading to a new one . Always regretted selling them

[Shed tuner]

Which makes me wonder why that's the case, given that the two designs are at least superficially quite similar. Lighter piston in the Jackal/AA? Better spring guide?

Yeah, maybe piston weight... or a longer stroke, or a smaller port... tiny changes can have a huge affect, especially if there's a few of them having a cumulative affect... The spring guides isn't really that relevant, it just has to fit the spring properly.

[Phil Russell]

A .177 EX88 was the first proper rifle I bought my daughter all those years ago. From the box it was a bit OTT but a bit of spring work solved it. The piston sleeve was a sealed plastic cylinder but the sealed end had broken off. AA sent me another when I mentioned it to them at a Game Fair. Trigger was not too bad to dismantle / put back ... the manual for the rifle explained how to strip the rifle, including trigger.
Daughter still has the rifle. Very nice it is too. (Daughter and rifle...)
Cheers, Phil

[transporter]

They will go above 12ftlb even in .177 with the standard spring .so I'd be careful

[johnbaz]

Hi

I bought a Firepower? (The short one!! ) off the sales on this very forum, It was cheap (£50 from memory!) but was in bits, The spring guide had been sawn off the trigger guard and it came with a Theoben gas ram, A couple of bits were missing which I was given by a nice fella foc, It shoots very well now

Top one

Also have a Camargue and an SE90, Both are nice guns..

I have a spare trigger block/lever if I wanted to change the Firepower back to a spring Also have a Khamsin too but that's a leftie and needs much work


John

[Shed tuner]

They do look nice....

IIRC the "short firepower" is actually a "Combat"

Yeah, pity spares are not obtainable, as they are well enough built to last, but all it takes is some obscure breakage...

[clarky]

They do look nice....

IIRC the "short firepower" is actually a "Combat"

Yeah, pity spares are not obtainable, as they are well enough built to last, but all it takes is some obscure breakage...

be careful with tuning these. AA at that time had already done an absolute max job of homing in on 12 ftlbs because at that time it was almost essential and they did it in .177 as that had become a very fashionable caliber.
I had the Woodsman variant in woodstock and 11 inch barrel.
It was a good gun and my slight tweak with top hat put the thing into 13.5ftlbs territory requiring and imediate spring chop.
I had a .22 version and 1 inch gps at 25 yds the norm.