New to me AA S500 .22

[Struckat]

I love my springers but have been wanting a pcp since I joined GTA.
So here is my AA S500 I found in the classifieds archive.

So far I have shot 3 strings, one each with the power adjuster @100%, 80% and 60% with AA 16gr domes.

First of all, hand pumping is a drag. Maybe more so for me as I don’t have much lead in my pencil.

The results I think are pretty good. The usable range appears be 200B down to 150B.
I get a few more shots at 60% than 100%, but when you get past 150BAR it starts dropping pretty quick.

At 100% the 16gr are smokin around 950fps/32fpe. 60% runs in the 780s/20fpe.

My China device records mps, so my fps numbers are not exact, but certainly directional. Seems to be 25-30 consistent shots with a few more when running 60%.

I am only shooting at 10m in the basement, so no longer range testing so far. I have Donny adaptor inbound so I can put a mod on it. Not that it’s real loud, but it must be quiet for me to venture outdoors.

With no hammer spring adjustment, I am sure it is wasting some air. Once I start tinkering with it, I will experiment with different springs at the lower power settings.

For now I will shoot it some more, and dream of a compressor.

[Jaycee]

 I always regret getting rid of my AAS400 and 500 air rifles, they are extremely well made and really accurate. I read online that someone has taken the heads off matches at 20 yards and did not believe it so I tried. Using a rest of course I took the heads off 5 matches with 5 shots, I honestly believe they are capable of shooting better than I can, with the right person behind them I am sure they are capable of making extreme shots. I gave up using a pump after my first time using one. I now use scuba tanks filled from a gas compressor and then use a booster pump to save air when I fill the guns. I will soon be putting my gear on the classifieds for sale and will be going back to springers for my retirement. Have fun with the gun they are truly nice air guns. Neil.

[Struckat]

I will never give up my springers, but I wanted something with more power for special occasions. I did t want entry level quality.

Very pleased so far. Once the adaptor shows up I can put an LDC on and try some 25 yard shooting.

I will still shoot my springers more than this one, but a compressor will even it out some. But I am in no hurry.

[BC81]

I will never give up my springers, but I wanted something with more power for special occasions. I did t want entry level quality.

Very pleased so far. Once the adaptor shows up I can put an LDC on and try some 25 yard shooting.

I will still shoot my springers more than this one, but a compressor will even it out some. But I am in no hurry.

Once you get that compressor, you'll find yourself shooting those springer alot less lol.

Nice rifle btw.

[ranchibi]

Kurt, congratulations on your AA! If power is not too important you might want to install a regulator from Huma or Lane. Welcome to the darkside.

[mobilemail]

I bought an S510 .22 not long back, still haven't had enough time to shoot it much. I chrniednthe different power settings and found 1 a nd 5 mostly useless. 1 is wasaay too slow and 5 is barely faster than 4 and wasting air.

[Struckat]

The hand pump is a drag. I am working on my technique which is critical for the last 1/4 of the stroke. I am 130# and it’s hard not to tip over when driving it home.
Right as my arms straighten I drop with the knees. When my timing is good, it’s not so bad.

5he Donny adaptor arrived and I put on my inexpensive Airgun Universe mod which really quiets it down.

I have read a lot of the regulator threads here and elsewhere. Not sure I am ready for that at this point, but I am sure it would benefit from a shorter hammer spring.
Full power actually gives me a bit of a bell curve with the pellets I have now. Not sure what will happen with 18gr which seems to be what most say it likes.

At 80 and 60% power, the string is descending, yet gives a few more shots in the usable range, 200-150 BAR. I think with a little less spring that may improve.
I have read that shortening the spring will reduce bounce. Supposedly at rest there is a little preload. I plan to shorten it just enough to take that preload off.

I do t have a plan to take it apart anytime soon. I do plan on getting a seal kit and I will order a couple springs.

It’s a beautiful gun. The blueing is the best I have seen and the stock is nice. Not walnut nice, but still very nice. Thicker/ bulkier feel than my HW95, yet feels a little lighter. I adjusted the trigger a little lighter, though it’s not as good as the HW.

Hooked on pcp, yes indeed. Sheer willpower kept me from ending up with more HW springers. I will follow the same plan with pcp. Specific purposes only. So the next will likely be a very compact rifle.

[BC81]

Cut off about 3/4" of the spring and it'll be just about perfect on that rifle. Won't lose power and will gain a better shot count and curve. Super easy job to do also. Good luck and have fun with it!

[Struckat]

Do I have to degas to get to the spring?

[BC81]

Do I have to degas to get to the spring?

Nope. Pull the stock off and you'll see the spring adjuster at the bottom of the back of the action. There is a pin you drive out with a punch and that adjuster will pop out. Hold your thumb over it so it doesn't go flying. Spring is inside there. Trim some off, and reinstall.
For future reference, the tubes on these guns are self contained units with the valve on the back of them. You can remove the whole air tube and valve as one assembly without having to degas them.

[Struckat]

Thank you, I will look into it sooner than later.

[BSJ]

Do I have to degas to get to the spring?

Nope. Pull the stock off and you'll see the spring adjuster at the bottom of the back of the action. There is a pin you drive out with a punch and that adjuster will pop out. Hold your thumb over it so it doesn't go flying. Spring is inside there. Trim some off, and reinstall.
For future reference, the tubes on these guns are self contained units with the valve on the back of them. You can remove the whole air tube and valve as one assembly without having to degas them.

Most of that is not true!

There is no pin to drive out. There is no spring adjuster, that can pop out or otherwise.

I don't know what gun you are describing, but it's not an Air Arms S4xx/5xx.

[BC81]

Do I have to degas to get to the spring?

Nope. Pull the stock off and you'll see the spring adjuster at the bottom of the back of the action. There is a pin you drive out with a punch and that adjuster will pop out. Hold your thumb over it so it doesn't go flying. Spring is inside there. Trim some off, and reinstall.
For future reference, the tubes on these guns are self contained units with the valve on the back of them. You can remove the whole air tube and valve as one assembly without having to degas them.

Most of that is not true!

There is no pin to drive out. There is no spring adjuster, that can pop out or otherwise.

I don't know what gun you are describing, but it's not an Air Arms S4xx/5xx.

Wow my bad, I was thinking about the Cayden lol. Disregard my last post. I thought I clicked the thread about the cayden.

[Struckat]

Original question, do I need to degas in order to play with the hammer spring on a AA S500?

[Rick67]

Original question, do I need to degas in order to play with the hammer spring on a AA S500?

No, you dont.

I have the very same rifle.

[Rick67]

The hammer spring is not adjustable, by the way, but I did have my machinist fabricate a thinner spring washer/guide for me in brass.

Will post photos in  a while.

[BSJ]

No. But there isn't much you can do. It's got no adjustability. You can cut it or add some shims.

Odds are that it is near its optimum ability already. Little room for improvement...

[Struckat]

Yes, I know it is not adjustable, my intent is to see if removing some of the preload will have a positive effect such as reducing potential hammer bounce/wasting air.

[Rick67]

IIRIC, the brass spring washer/guide was an 1 mm thinner than the OEM one:





Could not recall the reduction in pellet speed, but it was less than 50 FPS.

I also polished the hammer and upgraded the screws to stainless (Rick baby being hisself  ):









Matt Winser all-delrin "pickle":

[Rick67]

I bought it in Manila almost a decade ago for $1k 'cuz it was on sale.

Reg price in the Philippines was close to $2k.

As I recall, they were only $700 (?), the walnut (?), during that time