Buddy I've got three of the long stock (LS) Challengers and none of mine have a loose shroud like you're talking about, curious if you find anything more about it I'm still having a hard time getting away from my .22 Challenger, the darned gun is just so accurate shooting them slugs. Since carrying the Challenger a lot I've really gotten use to the weight of it and about the only guns I have that I'd even think about putting a strap on would be my Cayden or Mrod, both those guns are HEAVY in my opinion. The Cayden is by far much better than my Mrod and is very accurate however being it's got the five year warranty I've never really bothered taking the gun apart because it's an excellent pellet shooter. Dang I've got too many guns.
The only negative just looking the rifle over so far is if I hold it like carrying it while hunting and shake it up and down, the bbl. shroud will bounce against the air cylinder.With the stock screw completely tight it’s down to a minimum, but still there.Needs a bbl. band?I’m going to try a thin piece of leather between the cylinder and shroud first.The rifle balances well for carrying inspite of the bulk of it.... but yeah, a sling would be nice.Can’t wait to get it shooting sometime next week.Lol, this is going to cut into my fishing time this summer.
Quote from: 35 shooter on May 19, 2022, 01:14:23 AMThe only negative just looking the rifle over so far is if I hold it like carrying it while hunting and shake it up and down, the bbl. shroud will bounce against the air cylinder.With the stock screw completely tight it’s down to a minimum, but still there.Needs a bbl. band?I’m going to try a thin piece of leather between the cylinder and shroud first.The rifle balances well for carrying inspite of the bulk of it.... but yeah, a sling would be nice.Can’t wait to get it shooting sometime next week.Lol, this is going to cut into my fishing time this summer.My shroud tube didn't 'bounce around', but the gap between the shroud and air tube narrowed progressively from the receiver to the fill valve. The shroud was close to touching at the fill valve. I avoided handling the gun by the barrel, thinking it could change POI. Once, while lifting the gun from a vertical standing gun rack at the range, my grip slipped and the gun banged against the rack. It did change POI. Just so happens Bison Air Rifles and Parts has a barrel band for the Challenger. https://bisonairriflesandparts.com/shop/ols/products/aea-challenger-barrel-band So I ordered one and fitted it to my gun. It does take some fitting. He warns you on the web site. Took me about 1 - 1.5 hrs. of hand sanding and fitting with sandpaper wrapped around a 1" dowel. You need to fit it to both the barrel and air tube.I shot the gun yesterday and it did not negatively effect the accuracy. I say that because my eyes are bad enough that I am not a great shooter. Also, I had gusty wind conditions. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.). All I can testify to is that a no pellet/ slug shot worse and a couple seemed to group tighter. JSB Beast, noticeably tighter. I can say that I don't feel the need to handle the gun as delicately because it is a much more solid setup, plus the gap is even from receiver to fill valve. Installation did change POI. I figured it had to, since the barrel was lifted from the original position. It moved the POI straight up a couple inches at 25 yds.All in all, I'm satisfied.
Don if you like I can take out the double post of that pic
This is the slug I shoot in mine, matter of fact it's the first ammo I ever tried in the gun, I liked them so much I've nevereven bothered trying anything else. The BBT's in HP work perfect in my Sentry that's in my signature, that's all I evershoot from that gun.These slugs work awesome in my Liberty after being sized to .215, I shoot them like they drop with the AEA.This is a BBT that I recovered from a large chipper last year shooting my Sentry, it was a straight on shot@30ydsnext to it's nose is where it entered and ended up in the hide next to it's tail.