Product Details
A RARE, POSSIBLY UNIQUE, .22 PROTOTYPE AIR-ARMS PRE-CHARGED PNEUMATIC AIR RIFLE, serial no. P01-97,
for 1997, believed the working model for the S310, with 23 1/2in. floating barrel including a 'Manders' sound moderator, brushed bright alloy moderator adaptor and barrel mount, bright polished alloy receiver with bolt-action operation and prototype rotary magazine, blued air-reservoir with blacked trigger unit, stippled beech half-stock with roll-over right hand cheek-piece and adjustable heel-plate (plate possibly added later), fitted with 'Q.D.' studs for sling-swivels, tested
Provenance: Air rifle expert and consultant to Air Arms Nick Jenkinson was given a remit by Air Arms owner Bob Nichols to design a PCP rifle suitable for juniors & ladies, whilst still appealing to the hunter, that could retail for £300 – hence the name S300. Nick worked with Colin Urquhart of CU plastics and a prototype was produced. This was a 10 shot line fed rifle in .177. Although Air Arms liked the rifle, they wanted something simpler so Nick and Colin produced a second prototype – a single shot rifle in .22 calibre. Ken Turner of Air Ams then worked with Nick to make a few tweaks and around mid 1996 the S300 was born – a compact, light, & easy to use rifle that still offered an impressive shot count due to the new efficient valve system that had been developed. The first S300's were only available in .22 but due to demand, a .177 version was soon introduced and later still a 10 shot version of both calibres launched – the S310. It is believed that this is the working prototype for this rifle. Both the receiver and the air-chamber are marked with the prototype serial number P01-97 (First Prototype 1997). With Air Arms now well established as one of the UK's more popular brands, important historic pieces such as this rifle seldom appear on the market
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Estimate £700-900