Tuning Airforce Texan.

[Lazer Wolfe]

I see lots of threads about tuning various air rifles but not so much on tuning Texans. What can be done to tune them?

[aceflier]

Pretty much the same as the other airforce guns. The texan is self regulating so you basicly set the power wheel to what slug you are shooting. An aftermarket hammer spring is a good Idea also. You can go into polishing the tophat and setting the gap if you want. I haven't had the need with mine. It eats air so unless you are shooting roundball don't bother. With the African air ord spring mine does 820fps with 3000 psi for first shot and second shot is 788 with 345gr slugs. It will do 8-10 shots around 1000fps with roundball 143gr. With same power wheel setting. I suppose you could maybe get a bell curve with light slugs if you dialed it down some.

[nielsenammo]

I have shot all three calibers, own 2 of them myself.  The 45 caliber is more accurate than the other two.  The barrel is too thin and unsupported.  We have been trying to come up with a fix.  I think I will re-barrel mine for the .357 and put a proper twist rate in it and stiffen the barrel with carbon fiber tubing. 

[Metnav1]

I've had similar experience with the Texan .45... If you tune a bell curve with 147grn round balls, around the 3000 PSI max, I get 12 shots between 1100 FPS and 1000 FPS, however the groupings are better if the velocity is 850 fps and 950 fps, and I get around 14 shots, with max PSI at 2750, and 2100 being my cutoff

I've had little success with anything over 200grn, especially groupings, and many projectiles tumble between 50-70 yards, and most of my testing is at 100 yards.  The normal groupings for round balls are 4-5 MOA, and only a couple of bullet designs improved on that.  Thinking the barrel needs a tighter twist rate.

My .223 Precision Rifle maintains significantly below 1 MOA at 100/200 yards, so it's not the shooter

[nielsenammo]

I have shot 1000s of rounds in my 45 Texan.  The 20 twist rate is optimal for heavy slugs.  My 372 grain slug is very accurate out of the gun.  Round ball is decent and so is my EPP slug.  Slugs in the 250 grain range do not do well out of my gun.

I have a swaged slug coming very soon, we are finishing up our testing on it as we type.  I made a 300 grain slug that is amazing in accuracy with a giant hollow point up front.  I also swaged a .265 grain slug that was best light slug I have tried in the gun. 

Roundball does pretty well and they are good cheap plinking ammo and that round is pretty forgiving as far as twist rate.  Hornandy and Speer make good roundball with no flat spot - swaged.  If you want a good hunting round this new swage should be super great hit or if you like super heavy the 372 is very accurate.

[Lazer Wolfe]

Pretty much the same as the other airforce guns. The texan is self regulating so you basicly set the power wheel to what slug you are shooting. An aftermarket hammer spring is a good Idea also. You can go into polishing the tophat and setting the gap if you want. I haven't had the need with mine. It eats air so unless you are shooting roundball don't bother. With the African air ord spring mine does 820fps with 3000 psi for first shot and second shot is 788 with 345gr slugs. It will do 8-10 shots around 1000fps with roundball 143gr. With same power wheel setting. I suppose you could maybe get a bell curve with light slugs if you dialed it down some.

Thank you for the info. Round ball should make good inexpensive plinking ammo out of the big gun.

[Lazer Wolfe]

I have shot all three calibers, own 2 of them myself.  The 45 caliber is more accurate than the other two.  The barrel is too thin and unsupported.  We have been trying to come up with a fix.  I think I will re-barrel mine for the .357 and put a proper twist rate in it and stiffen the barrel with carbon fiber tubing.

Thank you so much for that insight. I want to get a .30 cal and a .45 and considered getting Texans in both calibers. Think I'll get the .45 Texan and look at something else in .30.

[Lazer Wolfe]

I've had similar experience with the Texan .45... If you tune a bell curve with 147grn round balls, around the 3000 PSI max, I get 12 shots between 1100 FPS and 1000 FPS, however the groupings are better if the velocity is 850 fps and 950 fps, and I get around 14 shots, with max PSI at 2750, and 2100 being my cutoff

I've had little success with anything over 200grn, especially groupings, and many projectiles tumble between 50-70 yards, and most of my testing is at 100 yards.  The normal groupings for round balls are 4-5 MOA, and only a couple of bullet designs improved on that.  Thinking the barrel needs a tighter twist rate.

My .223 Precision Rifle maintains significantly below 1 MOA at 100/200 yards, so it's not the shooter

Sounds like they can be ammo sensitive. Hope you find a slug she likes and those groups tighten up.

[Lazer Wolfe]

I have shot 1000s of rounds in my 45 Texan.  The 20 twist rate is optimal for heavy slugs.  My 372 grain slug is very accurate out of the gun.  Round ball is decent and so is my EPP slug.  Slugs in the 250 grain range do not do well out of my gun.

I have a swaged slug coming very soon, we are finishing up our testing on it as we type.  I made a 300 grain slug that is amazing in accuracy with a giant hollow point up front.  I also swaged a .265 grain slug that was best light slug I have tried in the gun. 

Roundball does pretty well and they are good cheap plinking ammo and that round is pretty forgiving as far as twist rate.  Hornandy and Speer make good roundball with no flat spot - swaged.  If you want a good hunting round this new swage should be super great hit or if you like super heavy the 372 is very accurate.

Well I definitely want to shoot the heavier bullet weights so it sounds like you've got that covered. Plinking with round ball sounds like a fun, cheap way to spend an afternoon. Thank you for the help.

[Prouzy]

 
Well I definitely want to shoot the heavier bullet weights so it sounds like you've got that covered. Plinking with round ball sounds like a fun, cheap way to spend an afternoon. Thank you for the help.

Its probably going to be a good fit for you, as it does both of those pretty well, eg round ball closer range and heavier for further out.  Ive founf the same, gets decent shout count and accuracy to 75yd with round ball, can stretch it out a bit further.  I got exceptional accuracy with Nielsen's 372gr out to 100yd (thats as far as I took it) and the Nielsen swaged 265gr also shot well out of both my Texans, but I only took it out to 75yd.

[Lazer Wolfe]

Its probably going to be a good fit for you, as it does both of those pretty well, eg round ball closer range and heavier for further out.  Ive founf the same, gets decent shout count and accuracy to 75yd with round ball, can stretch it out a bit further.  I got exceptional accuracy with Nielsen's 372gr out to 100yd (thats as far as I took it) and the Nielsen swaged 265gr also shot well out of both my Texans, but I only took it out to 75yd.
[/quote]

I live out in the sticks and can shoot out to 100 yards in my backyard so a big bore really appeals to me. Mostly I'll be punching paper but would like to use it for deer or zombie possums as well. 
Since shot placement is critical on game I'll need to practice a lot before attempting to hunt with it. Thanks for the heads up on the ammo.   
 

[Randbo]

My Texan has shot all the Nielsen swagged bullets good but the 300 gr. has been the best so far, Nick is getting the swagged bullets really dialed in! They are the most accurate bullets in my Texan so far.

[Lazer Wolfe]

My Texan has shot all the Nielsen swagged bullets good but the 300 gr. has been the best so far, Nick is getting the swagged bullets really dialed in! They are the most accurate bullets in my Texan so far.

I'll definitely be picking up some of those once I get the green light on the rifle.

[Lazer Wolfe]

Thanks for all the advice guys!

[UpNorthAirGunner]

I am using a x-ring de-resonator / dampener / donut thing from Limbsaver on my .357 Texan has helped a TON! Looks really horrible on the barrel - but it works to tighten up the grouping.  If you look really close at the Hunters Supply tuning services in their photos and a few videos I found on YouTube - they are using the Limbsaver too.

[UpNorthAirGunner]

Not really a tuning question I guess - but....  Was wondering if anyone has used the AirForce tank cover / cheek rest from TalonTunes?  If so - do you like it? I put a picatinny rail adapter and FX No Limits rings on my Texan .357 and the scope is CRAZY high (4.25 inches CTC Scope to Barrel), but actually much better than before.  The ergonomics and sight picture with regular high rings with their stock AirForce scope out of the box was WAY TOO LOW!