First PCP - AA S410 Carbine Questions

Hello all. Well I think I'm ready to take the plunge into my first PCP.  I have been looking at the AA S410 Carbine in .22.  It's a little more than I wanted to spend, but I have heard great things.  Does anyone have any other suggestions?  Also, with the AA, what is the difference between the Carbine and the plain AA side lever other than weight?  Do they perform the same?  I was planning on purchasing the hand pump with it so do I need the special adapter?  When mounting a scope, do we still use a stop pin like on a springer?  Thanks for the help fellas.

[rob3dr]

The S4xx Carbine is a great choice.  You'll be happy you spent the extra, I assure you.  Weight and length are the main differences in the Carbine and the full length versions, but with the reduced weight and such also comes reduced shot count.  The full sized model offers more shots simply because it has a larger air reservoir.  This is a rough estimate, but figure with PCP on getting 30-35 shots on a full sized model and 20-25 shots with a Carbine.  Again, just very general guidelines. Some models give many more shots and some give less.

The gun will come with the appropriate fill probe, but you may want to double check to see if an adapter is required for the particular model of pump you get and the probe.

No need for a stop pin or any such thing with PCP... no recoil to contend with. No need for special scopes, either.... just get something with AO and you'll be fine.

[kirby999]

Wow, a lot of questions. First the advantage of the carbine is it's a short light weight rifle that's easy to carry and points quickly. The disadvantage is in .22 it's going to be an adjustable speed model and in .22 cal you're going to want to turn it up and your shot count is going to be low because of the smaller air tube. The plain side lever as you call it is most likely what was called the Classic in the bolt action version and has a larger tube which would give you more shots , but it's a little over a half pound heavier ( feels more) and is not as quick to point . The ERB side lever would give you the most shots per fill but then again , a longer , heavier tube . But even in the ERB version it's lighter than any springer that comes close to the power you'll get out of it. The rifles come with a filler probe that has 1/8" BPT that with Teflon tape mates up with a 1/8" FPT connector on the pump hose. No pins needed when mounting any scope that fits on your PCP. That's another BIG advantage of PCP's , NO RECOIL . No matter which rifle you get , I'm sure you'll be happy with it. Check with Jim at Precisionairguns when you're ready ; if he doesn't have what you want in stock , he'll get it for you. Nice guy to deal with. Very knowledgeable about Air Arm products and you get what you order. kirby

Thanks for the help guys. These forums are great are really informative.