BSA Ultra MS PCP

The BSA Ultra MS has been so successful, BSA state in advertisements it’s a ‘true mini-supergun.’ Considering BSA were once amongst the last of the British gun manufacturers to fill up their PCP air rifle roster, credit is due as they’ve now established themselves with the many high quality and varied options that use the recoilless power source. Granted, along the way they did produce a few unorthodox yet innovative PCP’s (now discontinued) but in my opinion this learning curve eventually brought us to the rifle featured here, as the Ultra MS in any stock option is highly thought of by many airgun hunters, myself included. Bear that in mind as I cast my eye over the BSA Ultra MS Minnelli (or Ultra MS beech stock) as they denote it in their catalogue.

Beech Never Looked So Good

The new high quality beech stock is made in Italy by Minelli, and bears little resemblance to any of the other options now available, those being the ambidextrous Grade 2 Walnut and the right hand only Synthetic stocked Ultra MS Tactical.

Taking the place of the original beech stock option, the high quality wood on the test rifle had a lovely grain pattern treated to a rich mid/brown stain that’s not overly lacquered. Though manufactured to their specifications by the renowned Italian stock manufacturers it was actually designed in conjunction with John Sykes (Hydrographics) with input from others at both BSA and Minnelli. The butt section, neck design and pistol grip are very reminiscent of BSA’s R-10 rifle. The high cheekpiece is now fully ambidextrous with a full black rubber butt pad. The grip and forend are in perfect proportion for this little rifle which shows on handling.

The ‘twin panel’, laser cut chequered pistol grip is slim and drops down quite steeply. It also retains the R-10 slim neck, crafted due to the radical inward curve at the top approximately two thirds back from the front of the grip. The superbly crafted forend immediately after the new design metal trigger guard sweeps upwards forming quite a substantial upper section while the lower area that holds the chequering tapers inwards. The well rounded underside curves slightly upwards then down to end in a business like yet cosmetically appealing forward angled tip. In my opinion, the design configuration at this key area offers the most comfortable and natural position for a leading hand hold.

Similarly, the grip configuration offers a natural hold for precise trigger release if you wish to use a thumb over or ‘thumb along’ hold. A strange term, but the only way to describe how the thumb of your shooting hand can rest along the top of the rounded top section of the neck, to settle on the adequately sized thumb shelf.

Fill and Load

The Ultra MS fixed onboard air reservoir utilises the Safety Dampened Probe filling system as now used on many of their PCP’s. A word of caution, as the probe’s internal ‘restrictor screw’ must be left screwed tightly in place when filling from a large pressure bottle or the rifle will be damaged. To fill from a pump, remove this lengthy internal Allen head grub screw (key supplied) and read the leaflets, booklet and watch the highly informative CD that is supplied with all BSA PCP air rifles.

Charging the Ultra is quite traditional once you unscrew the ‘blunt V shaped’ inlet valve cover from the end of the air reservoir. The probe adaptor can then be slipped into the now exposed quick fill point directly underneath the reservoir. BSA recommends a 232-bar fill for the .177 calibre, as per the rifle on test, and 200-bar is recommended for .22 calibre. Adhere to these fill pressures and the efficient new ‘self regulating internal valve’ will give approximately 35 full power shots in .177 calibre and 40 in .22 calibre.

The rifle comes with the up-graded removable 10-shot rotary metal and alloy built magazine, as used on all BSA multi-shot PCP’s. The Ultra’s unique action is known as a ‘Drop Lever Loading’ system. This is operated by pressing down the probe release catch situated at the right of the action block allowing the spring loaded pellet probe to ‘flick’ back rearwards.
If an empty magazine is in the rifle or if replacing with a pre-filled one, you need to push forward the ribbed magazine retainer catch; this is positioned at the very front of the action block to the left of the barrel. Now you are able to remove or replace a ‘filled’ magazine into the left of the action and slide the retaining catch back to its original position.

Pushing the loading probe forward slides a pellet from the magazine directly into the 12” free-floating barrel. Once correctly pushed in you’ll hear it lock in place as it forms the airtight seal at the breech.

MMC

The rifles’s cocking mech is termed MMC (‘Micro Movement Cocking’) which requires you operate a separate cocking knob. This is the toughened disc shape ended ‘plunger’ positioned midway to the front, under the air reservoir. When you engage it, you know it has cocked the rifle, as you’ll again hear a click as the trigger sears engage.

BSA has always stated it’s had been designed in this way to almost eliminate leading hand movement that could alert your quarry. You can have a pellet loaded but cock the gun only when ready to shoot. Should you decide to hold off taking a shot or the quarry disappear from view you hold in the cocking knob and squeeze the trigger releasing the knob back to the un-cocked position, under tension from your hold. The system was first greeted with some cynicism, but quite frankly it’s a very practical option over a traditional side or rear mounted bolt or the now increasingly popular side-lever.

Mount Up

The uninterrupted flat aluminium railed receiver on BSA’s multi-shot PCP is a huge bonus for scope fitting, especially if using low profile scopes or NV riflescopes. For this test I fitted a Nikko Stirling 3 – 9 X 42 Laserking. In this mode it’s a cracking ratter and feral pigeon feller.

The precision 2-stage adjustable trigger was once known as the LS (Low Stress) trigger mechanism. They’ve now dropped the ‘LS’ designation, but it’s adjustable for engagement and stage length. The factory pre-setting should suit most, as it’s crisp and lets off shots very predictably, should you want to adjust it you need to remove the action from the stock. The manually operated trigger safety catch is sited on the right of the action just above the trigger. The large serrated edge cover cap is kind on the finger as well.

Combined with the high-grade choked, chambered and crowned barrel, accuracy is not an issue. The test rifle was in .177 calibre which regular readers will know is my favoured hunting calibre, but not for all situations. I actually own a .177 calibre Ultra MS in a Grade 2 walnut stock, and a Ultra Tactical MS in .22 calibre - yes I’m one of those that love this little mini-carbine. So I feel this gives me a very good insight into this rifle, and I know that if shooting from a rested position I don’t produce ragged one-hole clusters out to a set zero of 30-yds in .177 or 25yds in .22, then it’s my ‘pilot error’ not the gun.

Ammo Choice

Though individual shooters have their own favoured hunting pellet, I’ve not found many BSA’s you’d term ‘pellet fussy.’ I’ve recently taken to using Daystate Rangemasters in both the main calibres, which when used in my own Ultras produce sub 1p coin size clusters out to 40yds plus.

The Ultra’s new ‘special ported’ muzzle brake not only protects the ½” UNF screw cut barrel threads but it allows the air following the pellet out of the hammer forged, rifled steel barrel to disperse so the pellet flies undisturbed through relatively ‘dead air’ meaning it’s not affected as much as some PCP air rifles that only have muzzle thread cover caps.

It’s highly accurate without a ‘can’, but most airgun hunters prefer a silenced PCP. After unscrewing the muzzle brake, I scoured the packaging to discover the Ultra no longer comes supplied with a silencer or mounts. No worries, as I used a selection of BSA cans from the calibre specific ‘VC’ (Variable Choke) to the smallest SAS they supply. As a ‘reference’ I also used my own John Bowkett custom made .177 carbon fibre reflex silencer and no prizes for guessing which worked best.

If choosing a BSA option, the ‘VC’ is the most effective but, the silencer you fit always adds extra length. With the muzzle brake, the Ultra MS measures from ‘top to tail’ in this stock option. The ‘VC’ adds a whopping extra 7 ¾” in overall length. As the small ‘stubby’ SAS moderator partly sleeves back over the barrel, when in place the Ultra MS in this stock option still only measures 32” long. I have the SAS can on my Tactical, so it suits me, but when used on the .177 calibre you do notice the muzzle report rise but not to a degree that would overly concern most airgun hunters.   

If you don’t opt for one of the optional BSA silencers, your choice of any ½” UNF threaded moderator can be used on the screw cut muzzle.

Conclusions

As for accuracy, efficiency, overall performance and handling, the Ultra is a sure fire winner. The accuracy in particular continuously impresses and in this stock, I’d say it handles better than ever and balance is nigh on perfect.

Originally, the Ultra MS PCP air rifle was a brave step forward in design by BSA and time has proved its worth. When dressed in this latest smart looking and very handle-able Minnelli stock, it’s an option of this superb mini-carbine multi-shot PCP air rifle that I’d recommend any airgun hunter add to their armoury.

APPROXIMATE PRICES:
£533 with beech stock on test; £496 for Synthetic Tactical option; £599 for Grade 2 Walnut stock option

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:
SAS Silencer £45.50; ‘VC’ Silencer £41.50; Spare 10-shot Magazines £36; Single-Shot Loading Clip £31

CONTACT:
BSA Guns (UK) Limited 0121 772 8543 www.bsaguns.co.uk