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Texan .357 valve failure/Leak with photos

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redlined_b16a:
To start the intention of this post is so that others can learn and maybe save a life or injuries.
I am in contact with Airforce on the situation and I was extremely honest with them admitting my faults and concerns.
From the beginning
Dec.2nd ordered a Texan .357 Carbine from an online airgun supplier(No names mentioned)

Arrived December 15th
Dec.20th filled up the tank to 2900 psi
Fired about 20 rounds through it experimenting with hammer tensions.

Ammo is casted from a Lee mold 150 grain .358 and I size gem through a die at .357 they fit tight in the breech and I can only put 5/8 of the slug in the chamber

4th fill up
2900 psi Carbine pushed its first round at 830 fps with %90 hammer preload
Second shot 828 fps and air leaking out of the barrel.
Minimal leak we could barely hear it when we opened the breech.

At that point we let the air bleed to zero from  2600 psi on the Airforce gauge.

Researched and found a thread on another forum where this happened on another Texan.
Guy removed the valve(Top portion)and top hat to fid a tiny split in the poppet.Contacted Airforce and they sent a new upper valve.

So it was after 5 by the time we tried to contact Airforce.....closed till Monday.

My mistakes start at this point.
Removed the poppet saw the tiny split.
Decided let's pressure it up a lil to see if its still leaking......knowing it leaked previously.

Filled from a 65 minute 4500 psi scba which had 3600 left in it.
Got to 1000 psi I submerged the tophat into water and no leak was present.
Keep in mind the tank was off of the gun.

Filled to 2000 psi and I just bleed down my hoses to check for leaks again.
As soon as my pressure bleed down as I reached to un hook the quick disconnect.

Heard a loud pop and a blur in vision
The Airforce tank shot off the table like a rocket pulling the 15 pound 65 minute scba with it.

It launched 15 feet across the room destroying everything in its path.
My brother and friend were just standing in that spot seconds before.

All the dust settled and now it's time to see what the pain in my arm and damages are.

Top hat became a bullet and struck the counter and bounced into my forearm.Minor bleeding and bruising.

The Airforce tank beat up,valve in pieces,female QD broke and the male foster fill is bent and out of round.Gauge has scoffs

Numerous broken items in the room.

So what happened?
The poppet split at some point.
Pressure behind it parted the poppet in two
Since the tank was not in the gun the top hat was propelled like a bullet from the tank dump.

My advice to you is
If your Texan is leaking.......DO NOT REFILL IT WITH THE LEAKING PARTS

Had the tank been on the rifle I believe no one would have been in any real danger.

Airforce thinks my slugs were too loose and that can cause the poppet to slam closed too hard.
Or Ammo is to lite.

They are sending another tank and valve assembly.

redlined_b16a:
Also today my Texan SS .357 which has about 100 rounds through it.......is also now leakingvand the poppet has split as well.
Using a diffrent 150 grain sized to .357 casted in lead ammo.

What is going on?

My SS is weaker aswell.

Two Texan .357 platforms splitting valve poppers.

The SS split at 2400 psi on shot 5
Brand new guns.

Back_Roads:
 It must be a rear bottle big bore issue, I'm having similar issues with another brand. Been lucky no valves launching bottles yet ;) Ouch!!!  :o

rsterne:
Houston we have a problem!....

Glad no serious injuries, that looks bad enough....

Bob

redlined_b16a:
I have the symptoms of lite or loose fitting ammo

The carbine the .357 is tight
Both guns to me are anemic

The SS and carbine are supposed to be 790 fps with170 grain.That came from Airforce directly.

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