GTA
Airguns by Make and Model => Air Arms Airguns => Topic started by: Henry Bowman on March 16, 2024, 05:37:13 AM
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So after getting my HW97 all set up for Field Target (not that we have that here) I decided to try one of Air Arms TX200 HC in Walnut. As my favorite distributor doesn't carry them I had to special order it from Utah Airguns (great job guys, thx) It arrived and was as beautiful a blueing job as I had been lead to believe. Compared the the 97 no competition.
The stock has some nice figure and will take a nice oil rub to being it out.
I have a Vortek tune kit in my 97 and it shoots 1/4 inch or better groups at 25 yards all day long with many different pellets. I opted to get the TX200 in .22 just to cover my bases.
I know guns need to be checked for screw tightness and broken in before testing.
I mounted my favorite optic a Meopta Optika 6 5-15 power with the BDC reticle in a Sportmatch one piece Dampa mount with scope stop.
Same set up I have on the 97...just to keep things equal.
The trigger on the TX 200 is great...but...the first stage has too much slop, but it breaks clean. The 97 has a Rekord Trigger and frankly I don't see how your gonna beat that unless you get one like my FWB 300S has.
After putting 200 pellets down range trying to get used to the manual of arms on the Gen 3. it's doable, but not as convenient as the 97. Why doesn't Air Arms relieve the left side of the barrel shroud? The anti bear trap is not terrible to get used to from a bench, but it would be a pain in the rear laying prone.
Now for the big issue. until now I could not get the TX200 to shoot a sub 5 inch group at 25 yards!!!!!! I was ready to break it over a tree stump. I went online and saw that someone had suggested to another member to check not the stock screw, but the action retention screw. Sure enough it was 2.5 turns out from snug!!!
Back to the bench and finally some semblance of the accuracy I had heard of. well sort of. I fired 5 different company and 5 different types of pellets...the gun is able now to group about 1 inch at 25 yards with the H&N Sport domed pellets being the only ones that went into what could be called a hole. about the size of a dime. I am elated after the patterns it was throwing, but still no where NEAR the accuracy I am expecting for pert near $1600 bucks and 3 months of waiting.
I will continue to see about break in and try some more pellets, but it sure is fussy and still no where near the accuracy of the 97. Now maybe I need a Tune kit, but was trying to use factory settings.
I won't get rid of her just yet, but it will need to work real hard to get over this first impression.
Anybody here shooting a MK3 in .22 cal HC? and which pellets do you fine the most accurate?
I chronod it today and for the most part each group of 5 shots would have one or two off by 30fps! that sounds odd for a brand new gun. I will keep at it.
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200 pellets?
You have a a few more to shoot before you can make an educated decision.
When I bought my MKIII in 2013 I put 750 pellets through the tube the first weekend.
My MKIII now has 50,000 pellets down the tube and it will stack them at 25 yards all day off of the bench which I do not normally do.
The MKIII has a slightly different action then your 97.
If you insist on using it on the bench you must fine the place where the rifle wants to be rested.
Most find that location to be just in front of the trigger guard not up close to the barrel.
Do not rest the stock on a plastic rifle rest.
Or, even a full sandbag.
A nice fluffy towel is better.
The power of your scope has not one iota to do with the accuracy.
Lower the power and shoot the rifle.
This past Wednesday I shot at 25 yards with scope power at 4X, 8X and 16X.
All three groups were a single ragged hole with witnessed by Duckfish here, on the forum.
My .177 TX enjoys 4.52mm pellets so it is possible your TX may like pellets of a different size as well.
Good luck.
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I will try your suggestions on placement for the rest.
As for the optics, I use that scope on a few other springers as well. Its really an incredible piece of gear for the price.
I will shoot it off a different rest as I was using a walnut media filled shooting bag.
It now has about 500 pellets through it.
I'm not saying it wont become something special, just saying it sure ain't there yet!
But after all the hype and price, I am not seeing it.
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Put about 100 coats of boiled linseed oil on the stock, too.
My grandfather (I am 78) told me to oil:
Once a day for a week.
Once a week for a month.
Once a month for a year.
Once a year for the rest of your life:
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Tx200 .177 all stock stacks them no problem. Maybe 200 pellets through it
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Clean barrel, Shoot more pellets, try different head sizes, good luck.
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Okay! so I put another 500 pellets through it. at about the 500 mark, the cocking arm became noticeably easier and smoother to cock, which is nice.
I tried 3 more types of pellets, Some H&N Silver Jets, Some JSB Exacts and Crossman Premiers. A very nice result was that the cheapest locally available pellets the Crossmans shot the best so far!
My standard for accuracy is a spinner target at 35 yards that is the size of a dime. If I can hit that 3 for 3 I consider it good enough and set. While the (& can do this with multiple pellets all day long, the TX 200 was able to hit 3 for 3 with the Premiers. Not every time, but its getting there.
I will clean the barrel and keep shooting it, each time it gets better. Turns out open palm on sand bag is its favorite hold method so far.
Frank, I am going to pick up a can of BLO this week and start rubbing it in. Thnak you for the assist!
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Henry, Good luck with your new rifle. But I was impressed with your comments on the accuracy of your HW97, a gun that I have been thinking about. Is it 22 cal, or is it .177. Thanks, Tom
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Tom, my HW97 K is a .177 cal with a Vortek PG4 Spring kit. I have a Meopta Optika 6, 2.5 X 15 power scope with a one piece Sportmatch Dampa mount and Rowan Engineering Medium wheel and pointer on it.
It is the version with the blue laminated stock, which I absolutely LOVE save for the weight, for a bench gun or competition (not carrying it in the woods) it is heavy, but the stock is fat where it should be and slender where it doesn't need to be.
I am also running the HW 97 Moderator on it. (Surprisingly makes a difference)
While it does make for a long and heavy rifle, it is by far the most consistent, least hold sensitive rifle I have out of many high end springers.
The preferred pellet is the H&N Sport Domed pellets which will reliably put all in one slightly ragged hole at 25 yards that can be covered by a thumbtack.
Just as a comparison I had posted previously asking what kind of accuracy should I be getting with my FWB 300s, because I sure wasn't getting the accuracy some claimed...I mounted an Athlon 6x24 Midas scope on the 300 and it went from slightly smaller than dime sized groups (iron sights) to one hole, like the factory test target....old eyes I guess, the reason for me saying that is that I DO have the ability to shoot accurately when I get a rig set up just right.
The HW97K is easier to cock, easier to load and the manual of arms is simpler than the TX200 series, it is more consistent with a wider variety of pellets than say the 300S or an FWB 124 and the blue lam stock is just perfect, it also has the Rekord trigger which I cut my teeth on decades ago and still have yet to find it's equal for a field gun. Is it a PERFECT springer? well no.
It has some of the thinnest blueing I have ever seen and some accidental aggressive cleaning took most of the blueing off the muzzle area which not worthy as I cannot get cold blue shipped here for some "dang" reason....
It is expensive (most guns in this class are), heavy and I feel that they could have easily put a cheek riser on it and should have.
But overall I don't see how you could go wrong with it.
I bought the TX200 to do a side by side comparison and to that end I ordered the PG4 kit for the TX so well see. I think I will grow to love them both but the TX will be more of a hunting gun then competition style.
Wish I could figure out pictures, cause I got some good ones but the files are always too large....oh well
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What is the trigger release weight? I had one in the shop and it took under 1 lb. to get it right on.
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Not certain, its about as light as the 97. I would guess around 1.5 to2 lbs. but I wouldn't bet a steak dinner on it.
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“they could have easily put a cheek riser on it”
There are YouTube videos for DIY cheek piece..
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I have both the 200 and a 97...what I have noticed is that the 97...and the LGU...make accuracy easier than the 200. Also, when the TX starts to shotgun, it's time to clean the barrel. That's not an original idea...other folks have noticed this as well.
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I have both the 200 and a 97...what I have noticed is that the 97...and the LGU...make accuracy easier than the 200.
Still have a 77k in .177 (Kraner tuned, venom clone) that has seen some success at HFT, and have a .22 97K (tuned locally)... my 3rd 97 after another .22 and a .20... I have passed several TXs... in both calibers and state of tune... last gun was a dedicated FT gun. I just could not be as accurate with any of them over the HW underlevers... I believe the TX just does not fit me... Its true. you are not the only one noticing that. not a bad gun, i just cant shoot it like other people seem to be able to.
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Well *(&^ boys, put another 500 through the TX and this wandering zero is making me think I might just like looking at the gun and not shooting it!
I am truly confounded. First off I have owned and operated a stick and mortar gun shop for the last 20 years. I was a competitive shooter and have been shooting high grade airguns since the 80's so I DO know HOW to shoot.
I have installed a Vortex PG4 Kit, I have cleaned the barrel, I have tightened all the screws including the action pillar nut. I have cleaned the barrel. I have mounted and un mounted the scope ( a very nice Meopta) in its Dampa Mount, I have tried 6 different pellets, weights and manufacturers, I have tried an open palm, front rest on squash bag, center hold and a rear hold as well. With 3 other springers I am able to get dime sized accuracy at 35 yards....
BUT THIS TX200HC is quickly losing its luster (figuratively) I can't hit &^^& with it! I am not joking when I say if I put a soda can at 35 yards I could not guarantee a hit!!!!
I know you guys will offer me 100 bucks to save me the frustration, thanks no thanks. But I am about to call Air Arms and ask them what they are willing to do about it if anything.
"dang" this is disappointing...I waited for 4 months and paid a disgusting amount of shipping to get it here and all I want to do is break it over a stump!
Weirauch is getting my next gun purchase for "dang" sure!
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I had this exact same experience, I bought a refurbished tx200 in .22 and I tried at least 15 different pellets, and sizes, but it wouldn't group at all. It did better with heavy pellets but still unacceptable. The barrel was a little oversize but I've seen worse. I pushed a few pellets through, the barrel had no tight spots and a good choke. I inspected the grooves left on the pellets under a microscope and they looked good/uniform, when compared with a known good shooting barrel.
I finally threw in the towel and bought another barrel in .177 and swaped it out (not a simple task but not a huge job), now the gun is very accurate. I can't say this your issue (I have heard of the compression chamber nut leaking) but it fixed mine. I do have another tx200 in .22 that shoots very well so I know they exist, but the tx200 "engine" I feel is better suited for .177. Don't give up on the tx200, it is by far my favorite springer.
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Put about 100 coats of boiled linseed oil on the stock, too.
My grandfather (I am 78) told me to oil:
Once a day for a week.
Once a week for a month.
Once a month for a year.
Once a year for the rest of your life:
That's how I do my floors. But teek oil rather than linseed. Can work on stocks too.
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I will keep at it, but your experience is not making me feel hopeful.
I have plenty of .177s so if thats my best option after I have exhausted all attempts to remove the variables, I will ditch the gun and get a nice 77, I am sure I can shoot that well.
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Looking forward to hearing what the manufacturers say or do about the gun.
I suppose that will be a measure of their standards..
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Have you tried slugging the barrel? Look for loose spots especially near muzzle.
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Not yet, I will try that as well...
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I was thinking about a .22 TX200.
Not now..
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Thank you all for your suggestions...
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I took the scope mount and pellets off and mounted them on an old Beeman R1, considered to be a harder gun to shoot accuratley by most due to massive ram movment.
Tx200, shotgun patterns at 25 yards, R1 one ragged hole size of my pinky nail!
Nuff said!
I have started the replacement/repair process, well see what comes of it.
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It might just be one substandard gun out of the rest. If that is so it should not be. You pay big money for something better than a Gamo and that is not what you got.
A Gamo would probably shoot better
Have to check back on the thread to see if warranty applies.
In view of my recent experience with Diana any expensive gun needs to be 30 days money back no questions asked or go somewhere else. Still costs freight though.
That is my big mouth at the moment . Maybe it will never get tested.
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Well.....emailed Utah Airguns today to see what we can do about getting the rifle fixed or traded. I have only had it for about 2 months.
Suffice to say the young guy who answered the email was cordial but had to ask his boss what they could do for me and their answer was that I should reach out to Air Arms! Completely washed their hands of it!
I may or may not reach out to Air Arms or maybe Pyramid but they didn't sell me the gun....
I will never use Utah Airguns again, I have had a stick and mortar gunshop for two decades and to not even make an attempt to help me out for an obviously substandard product they sold me? to *(&^ with them!, I will continue to use AoA from now on.
After waiting months for the order and the shipping to Guam, I am very ticked off....
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If it shoots the way you say it does, I wouldn't bother with the linseed oil at all 👀😬 If that was my rifle I'd be calling Air Arms and see if I could get a different one and if that failed it would be on the auction block and I'd never have a good thing to say about that company again. Frankly I think $1,600 for a spring piston air rifle is outrageous especially considering they seem to have a reputation for not performing well based on some of the comments here?
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Something is not right here . I know the USA is a vaste place with complexity but there must be something like our Consummer Guarantees Act that says that goods sold must be fit for purpose and there are remedies available if they are not.
The rifle is still under warranty.
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If it shoots the way you say it does, I wouldn't bother with the linseed oil at all 👀😬 If that was my rifle I'd be calling Air Arms and see if I could get a different one and if that failed it would be on the auction block and I'd never have a good thing to say about that company again. Frankly I think $1,600 for a spring piston air rifle is outrageous especially considering they seem to have a reputation for not performing well based on some of the comments here?
Ike, I have PCP's as well. I prefer the simplicity of a springer and some of them are unbelievably accurate within their ranges. They are as consistent or more than a regulated PCP and compared to an unregulated PCP well.....the chamber is always the same volume (at sea level).
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I will call Air Arms when I get a chance and see if i can speak with a human...
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yes, email them. They jave always being cordial and helpful. Its your best bet.