Newington, NH (January 9, 2018) – SIG SAUER is pleased to introduce its new high-performance, ASP20 break barrel air rifle. Available in .177 and .22 calibers, this suppressed single-shot, Advanced Sport Pellet (ASP) air rifle delivers down-range power and accuracy with the lightest cocking effort in its class, making it ideal for hunting small game.
This SIG break barrel air rifle also features the airgun industry’s most advanced trigger system – the smooth, crisp and adjustable ASP MatchLite® trigger. SIG SAUER engineers designed this completely new, two-stage adjustable match-grade trigger system to perform better than traditional airgun triggers on the market today. The ASP MatchLite trigger is ultra-smooth in its operation and can be adjusted to break at one of eight different pull rates – from 2.5 to 4 pounds – allowing users to select the break that’s most comfortable for them. The trigger breaks at 4mm, regardless of the pull rate selected.
SIG SAUER’s proprietary GlideLite™ cocking mechanism in the SIG ASP20 makes it significantly easier to use than other break barrel rifles. The ASP20 cocks at 33 lbs. versus the standard 48 – 52 lb. cocking force typically found in competitive products in this power range. The action of this air rifle is larger in diameter and shorter in length than most on the market. This brings the pivot point closer to the body, not only making the air rifle much easier to leverage but also more balanced and easier to shoot accurately.
Exceptional accuracy is another hallmark of the ASP20 which is the first SIG SAUER airgun to be built in the United States. SIG’s proprietary breech-locking system precisely aligns the barrel to the action, ensuring consistent accuracy. SIG SAUER also rifles its own barrels for the new ASP20 at its New Hampshire headquarters.
“The ASP20 is unique – a true game changer in the break barrel market with its unrivaled trigger system and cocking mechanism – and it is the first airgun built at SIG SAUER’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility here in New Hampshire,” said Joseph Huston, Vice President and General Manager of the SIG SAUER Airgun Division. “We have adapted many of our firearms technologies in the design and production of the ASP20. The reliability and durability is unrivaled, and it’s incredibly fun to shoot.”
The ambidextrous safety of the SIG SAUER ASP20 is located outside the trigger guard, not inside. The safety location makes it easy to engage using either the right or left hand.
Velocity vs. Muzzle Energy
Powered by a gas piston, the .177 caliber ASP20 delivers 20 foot-pounds (ft-lbs) of energy with muzzle velocity of 1021 feet per second (fps) using a 8.64 grain lead pellet while the .22 caliber delivers 23 ft-lbs of energy and a muzzle velocity of 841 fps with a 14.65 grain lead pellet. A common misconception among many is that high muzzle velocity makes for a better air rifle. In actuality, foot-pound muzzle energy is a more accurate gauge of the power of air rifles than the speed at which a projectile comes out of the barrel. Down-range accuracy and retained energy are better with a heavier projectile leaving the barrel at subsonic speed rather than an impractically-lightweight projectile leaving the barrel at a supersonic speed of 1400+ feet per second.
The .177 caliber ASP20 air rifle is ideal for hunting small game such as squirrels, crows and rodents while the .22 caliber model is well suited for hunting slightly larger animals such as woodchucks and groundhogs. The ASP20 has a SIG SAUER rifled steel barrel and is available with either a synthetic or wood stock. The SIG SAUER Whiskey3 ASP 4-12x44 Adjustable Objective (AO) riflescope, designed to handle the extreme bi-directional recoil of air rifles, will also be available for the ASP20 in May 2018.
MSRP:
.177 Wood Stock, Suppressor: $489.99
.22 Wood Stock, Suppressor: $489.99
.177 Synthetic Stock, Suppressor: $399.99
.22 Synthetic Stock, Suppressor: $399.99
WHISKEY3 ASP 4-12x44 AO Riflescope: $359.99