There is something very special about owning a BSA airgun. Apart from being exceptionally well made and very accurate, this British gunmaker’s air rifles have a pedigree that spans more than 160 years. BSA is constantly evolving and tweaking existing models, as well as working on brand-new rifles, so it was a natural progression to revisit the original Ultra model and produce a sidelever CLX version. It’s available with a beech or walnut stock, but I’m a sucker for a nice bit of wood, so I opted to review the walnut stock .177 here.
There’s no mistaking the shape of an Ultra stock, and this walnut version is the work of Italian gunstock god Minelli. What’s more, it’s ambidextrous, so it truly is a “one size fits all”. Long enough to keep your hands clear of the cylinder when employing a variety of hold styles, the forend is nicely shaped, and there is ample stippling for added grip.
The pistol grip features the same stippling and I really like the steep rake and the deep scallop shape. As someone who likes to shoot with their thumb up top, I like the cut-away that scoops into the rear of the action to provide a very comfortable thumb support and easy access to the safety catch, which you flick to the right for “safe” and to the left when you’re ready to fire.
At the very rear of the stock is a vented rubber butt pad, which is in a fixed position. Pre-fitted studs are another nice extra on the stock and provide secure anchorage for a sling or bipod. From an aesthetic perspective, having them fitted by the factory team saves you from having to attempt the task yourself. Yes, it’s an easy job, but it’s also easy to get wrong.
With a 3-9×40 scope fitted, the point of balance falls around 35mm in front of the metal trigger-guard, which is just the ticket for me, not that it makes too much difference in the case of the Ultra CLX, as it’s a tiny rifle and weighs just 5.7lb unscoped.
Need to know
Manufacturer BSA Guns
Model Ultra CLX
Type Multi-shot PCP
Stock type Sporter
Cocking sidelever
Trigger two-stage adjustable
Safety manual switch
Calibres .177 (tested) and .22
Overall length 820mm (32in)
Barrel length 317mm (12.5in)
Weight 2.6kg (5.7lb) without scope
Fill pressure 232bar
Shots per fill 60 (.177), 72 (.22)
Energy of test rifle avg 11.5ft/lb over 10 shots
Variation (10 shots) 7fps
Website bsaguns.co.uk
RRP £729
In depth
The entire rifle is built around the new monobloc platform, which is super strong and machined to ridiculously tight tolerances. One feature that does remain the same as the original bolt-action Ultra is BSA’s famous cold-hammer-forged barrel, which is 317mm long (12.5in). It’s supplied with a fitted muzzle brake, but I would suggest that if you are a hunter you should add a sound moderator to the 1/2in UNF thread underneath.
It’s got an impressive “crack” when you pull the trigger, which I really like, but for serious hunting situations a moderator will make all the difference. Scope mounting is via a split dovetail rail, which provides plenty of clamping space for most scopes.
Magnets
Behind the barrel sits the new 12-shot magazine, which is removed from the left-hand side when the sidelever is pulled all the way back, and is held securely in place by magnets. It’s extremely easy to load. You simply drop a pellet in, then rotate the inner drum anticlockwise to drop in another, which in turn increases the spring tension inside. It is very pellet friendly and features a countdown display so that you can keep an eye on how many pellets you have left.
This CLX model also accepts the new high-capacity magazines, which hold 20 shots in both .177 and .22 – they’re a godsend for a spell of rat shooting.
The sidelever itself is a short stroke biathlon type. It is spring-loaded, so when you make the initial pull it springs back and you just have to pull the final inch or so to cock it. The entire action is silky smooth, aided by the short-drop handle, which has loads of vertical stippling for added grip and actually rotates as you pull it.
One of my favourite features on the Ultra CLX is its excellent two-stage trigger. As well as being able to adjust the weight of the second stage, you can also tweak the length of pull and the height and angle of the match-type blade. Straight from the box, the trigger on the review gun had a long first stage, which came to a clear stop before a short, crisp and relatively light second stage. It didn’t need any adjusting for me; it was just how I like it. The break is extremely crisp with zero creep. It’s an absolute pleasure to shoot.
The Ultra CLX features a new regulator, which has improved the efficiency compared with the Ultra SE. Using 8.64-gr BSA Gold Star pellets, the .177 calibre test gun was running at 11.5ft/lb with a variation of just 7fps over a string of 10 shots. From a full 232bar fill you can expect 60 shots in .177 and 72 in .22, which again is a vast improvement and perfect for hunting.
Fill gauge
Filling is via a probe that pushes into an inlet hidden behind a rotating shroud on the end of the cylinder, and there is a colour-coded fill gauge on the end of the cylinder too. You can actually pull this shroud straight off the end of the cylinder very easily if you so choose when it comes to filling up.
As well as being great fun to shoot, the new Ultra CLX is also insanely accurate. Its excellent barrel, consistent power output and very predictable trigger make for really precise shooting. From a bench at my local club range I was regularly landing pellet on pellet at 30m and still cutting tiny groups that could be covered by a 5p piece at 40m.
Again, it’s well worth adding a moderator – that “crack” as you pull the trigger is great, though, and it will certainly turn a few heads down at the range.
Conclution
I did manage to take Ultra CLX out on two occasions to one of my rat permissions, where it excelled. The fact that it’s so light, so short and so easily manoeuvrable makes it the perfect hunting rifle in my opinion. It’s ideal for carrying on long walks when you’re stalking, and being so short it’s a dream to shoot in confined spaces, such as heavy brush and woodland or even out of the car window.
Accuracy – Insanely accurate – consistent, precise and predictable
Handling – Short, light and easily manoeuvrable – ideal for a hunting rifle
Trigger – The CLX features an excellent adjustable two-stage trigger
Stock – A beautiful and truly ambidextrous design from Minelli
Value – Includes great new features but you may need a few add-ons
Overall Score – This improved sidelever air rifle is sure to turn heads
95/100
