BSA Ultra CLX review

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 side-lever 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.

Does the BSA Ultra CLX offer thumb support?

There’s no mistaking the shape of an Ultra stock, and this walnut version is the work of Italian gunstock gods 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 really 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.

How much does the BSA Ultra CLX weigh?

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, which 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 job yourself. Yes, it’s an easy job, but it’s also easy to get wrong.

With a 3-9 x 40 scope fitted, the point of balance falls around 35mm in front of the metal trigger guard, which is just right for me, not that it makes too much difference in the case of the Ultra CLX, it’s tiny and weighs just 5.7lbs unscoped.

Does the BSA Ultra CLX have a cold-hammer forged barrel?

The entire rifle is built around the new “Mono Block” platform, which is super strong and machined to ridiculously high 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 comes supplied with a fitted muzzle break, but I would suggest that if you are a hunter then you should add a silencer to the 1/2in UNF thread underneath. It’s got an impressive “crack” when you pull that trigger, which I really like, but for serious hunting situations a silencer will make all the difference. Scope-mounting is via a split dovetail rail, which provides plenty of clamping space for most scopes.

Is the BSA Ultra CLX easy to load?

Behind the barrel sits the new 12-shot magazine, which pulls out from the left when the side-lever is pulled all the way back, and it is held securely in place by magnets. It’s very easy to load and you simply drop a pellet in, then rotate the inner drum anticlockwise to drop another pellet in, which in turn increases the spring tension inside. It is very pellet friendly and features a countdown display so you can keep an eye on how many pellets you have left. This CLX model also accepts the new High Capacity magazines, too, which hold 20 shots in both .177 and .22 — they’re a godsend for rat shooting.

What trigger does the BSA Ultra CLX have?

The side-lever 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 this Ultra CLX is its excellent two-stage trigger. Apart from being able to adjust length of weight of the second stage, you can also tweak 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’s just how I like it to be.

The break is extremely crisp with absolutely zero creep – it’s an absolute joy to shoot.

What regulator does the BSA Ultra CLX have?

The Ultra CLX features a new regulator, which has improved the efficiency compared to the Ultra SE. Using 8.64gr 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 232 bar fill, you can expect 60 shots in .177 and 72 in .22, which again is a vast improvement, and perfect for hunting.

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 very 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.

Is the BSA Ultra CLX an accurate air rifle?

Apart from 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 silencer — that “crack” as you pull the trigger is great, though, and it will certainly turn a few heads down at the range.

I did manage to take it out twice to one of my rat permissions too, where it excelled. The fact that it’s so light, so short and 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.

Technical specifications

Manufacturer: BSA Guns
Model: Ultra CLX
Type: Multi-shot PCP
Stock type: Sporter
Cocking: Side-lever
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: 232 bar
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