.177 Taipan Veteran Accuracy Testing

[Rallyshark]

Don't forget to try other types of pellets too! 

[UCChris]

Don't forget to try other types of pellets too!

I have a couple thousand JSB 10.34, which is why I have been using them. I also have a tin of 8.44.

After pulling the barrel tomorrow, I will test with the 8.44 grain. If those are different enough to the 10.34, for better or worse, then I'll assume that it might like a different pellet better and get some samplers.

[UCChris]

Alright, CEO is in town, so I haven't had much time to work on this project today. I did get the barrel pulled and I put a slight radius on the lead as it was just a hair sharper than I thought was best. When snugging the barrel back down, I noticed I was able to rotate it almost a quarter of a turn more than it was out of the box. I haven't had time to shoot any groups, but it averaged 910 fps with the 10.34 over ten shots, which is 20 fps faster than it was before I took the barrel off. I wonder if I was getting a tiny amount of air leakage. I snugged the rail mount screws to 25 in/lb and the stock screws to 65 in/lb. I should get some groups shot here in an hour or so.

[UCChris]

Got some shooting in. It looks like the accuracy is quite improved, but I need to shoot more. As a side note, my safety is now not functioning. Bout ready to throw this "dang" thing in the dumpster. I thought buying a $1000+ PCP was supposed to be an enjoyable experience.

[wimpanzee]

I am saddened by your struggles.

To note, yours is the first report of a .177 I've personally seen, and the first report that reflects poorly on the gun. While the sample size is too small to draw a conclusion, it does certainly provide some bias.

[elh0102]

65 in/lbs is mighty tight for those stock screws. 15-20 should be plenty. At that torque, and without pillars, you will get wood deformation. If it's okay now, then you're probably fine, but I would back off a bit.

[miksatx]

My safety was tight I put up with it a couple yrs. this year I dropped a drop of 3n1 oil flipped it a couple times wallah it starting working perfectly. I sure felt like a 69yr old dummy. Can hurt to give a drop a try.

[UCChris]

I am saddened by your struggles.

To note, yours is the first report of a .177 I've personally seen, and the first report that reflects poorly on the gun. While the sample size is too small to draw a conclusion, it does certainly provide some bias.

If I had known that it was going to be like this...

65 in/lbs is mighty tight for those stock screws. 15-20 should be plenty. At that torque, and without pillars, you will get wood deformation. If it's okay now, then you're probably fine, but I would back off a bit.

I had always heard 65 in/lb, but didn't realize it was just for pillared stocks. I backed them to 20.

My safety was tight I put up with it a couple yrs. this year I dropped a drop of 3n1 oil flipped it a couple times wallah it starting working perfectly. I sure felt like a 69yr old dummy. Can hurt to give a drop a try.

Mine has been a bit stiff out of the box, up until last night when it suddenly wouldn't work at all.

I just shot some groups with 8.44 at 950 fps and at 900 fps. The groups look promising, but when I ran 10 pellets over the chrony, I got a 38 fps ES from 862-900. I'm about ready to just go at this ()&(^)(&() gun with a hammer.

[miksatx]

Mine has been a bit stiff out of the box, up until last night when it suddenly wouldn't work at all.
  I'm about ready to just go at this ()&(^)(&() gun with a hammer.

When you feel that a bmfh will solve the problem. Maybe sit it down for a while come back pull the stock off. Check if some thing is impeding the safety from working.

[Dairyboy]

The safety can be because you're changing the screw tightness on the scope rail. That whole thing holds the trigger pack and if it slides slightly forward or back will mess up the safety. As to the reg issue could honestly be the state of the tune.

[UCChris]

The safety can be because you're changing the screw tightness on the scope rail. That whole thing holds the trigger pack and if it slides slightly forward or back will mess up the safety. As to the reg issue could honestly be the state of the tune.

I did everything I could to make sure that they didn't move, but I certainly could have screwed that up.

I have had to back the HS adjuster out a ridiculous amount to get it down to 15 fpe, so that definitely could be it. I'm at UTAG right now and I'll probably pick up a tin of the 13.34 and see how that goes.

[Dairyboy]

If your there did you bring your gun? There the dealer you can have them figure it out also

[Jacob_M]

I wonder what the reg is set at for a .177 taipan. If you had to turn the HS adjuster really far back until you got 15fpe, then the gun is not tuned to the “knee”. It’s tuned way below the knee. If I remember correctly from all my fiddling with the brod is that you get the most consistency when tuned in or around the “knee”. When you have the power set way below what the regulated pressure is capable of, you see a larger extreme spread. That’s my theory.

[elh0102]

38 fps spread is a bit much, but, a single run of 10 is not meaningful. My guess, given having to make a large HS adjustment for 15 fps, the regulator might need to be set lower for an 8 gr pellet. I would leave it alone and stick with heavier pellets. My Veteran in .22 seems to be coming around well. I had to clean the barrel a few times during the first couple hundred pellets. After a tin now, the barrel is holding up better. I bought some 16 gr Hades to try on squirrels. Dropped the HS down a quarter turn from the 18 gr setting, and that kept me in the same 875-885 fps range. It shoots the Hades better than I anticipated. Good luck with yours, keep after the barrel and stick with heavier pellets.

[Jacob_M]

Seems like we were thinking the same thing Ed.

[elh0102]

Seems like we were thinking the same thing Ed.

Well, great and small minds think alike; let's claim the former!

[Motorhead]

Only issue with tuning on the knee is ... That there is no way to turn up the power using HST.  When the reg is set correctly ( In match gun terms ) hitting the valve harder increasing both lift and dwell does squat because the power your getting is based off available PRESSURE.  When set like this slight inconsistencies in hammer strike or even slight dips or bumps in regulator pressure have very limited influence on the power and gun will just chug along at a very low ES value.

In a hunting gun, or one where you wish to power up / down via HST frequently you need to have a higher reg pressure so when you crank down on the HST it will make more power, less when HST is backed off.

There is NO FREE LUNCH here ... cause and effect are in play and how one sets up a PCP really is dictated by the intended use and spread of output power one wants to be a screw turn away

[Tonykarter]

Chris, I hope everything came out okay.  I can't imagine that you would go to the dealer and not take your Taipan, in light of all the problems that you are having with it, it being a one-off and all.  I hope that they were able to straighten it out for you.  And that that will be the end of it.

If not, you might want to consider trading it in on a stock Taipan, one in .22 or .25, any length.  Even with the assistance of the best brains on this forum this gun by all indications seems to be highly suspect, highly uncharacteristic of a Taipan, most assuredly less than you (and we) expected, and it mocks your existence.

So get rid of it and get you a stock, standard Taipan.  With the background of issues you have had with it I'm pretty sure you have a good case for a full refund toward the purchase of another.  And when you get it, don't adjust anything.  Just shoot it.  Just as it came out of the box. A Taipan out of the box will outshoot 99.9% of all the other airguns in the world.  So there is little to gain in fiddlin' with it, but as we have seen, much to lose.
 
Thousands and thousands of Taipan owners have done just that, just shot them as they came, out of the box, most EVEN STILL, and are some of the most satisfied and loyal airgun owners in the world.

[UCChris]

If your there did you bring your gun? There the dealer you can have them figure it out also

Yes, I brought the gun.

I wonder what the reg is set at for a .177 taipan. If you had to turn the HS adjuster really far back until you got 15fpe, then the gun is not tuned to the “knee”. It’s tuned way below the knee. If I remember correctly from all my fiddling with the brod is that you get the most consistency when tuned in or around the “knee”. When you have the power set way below what the regulated pressure is capable of, you see a larger extreme spread. That’s my theory.

The reg appears to be set somewhere around 120 bar. You are correct that the ES that I was seeing was from being tuned way below the knee.

Chris, I hope everything came out okay.  I can't imagine that you would go to the dealer and not take your Taipan, in light of all the problems that you are having with it, it being a one-off and all.  I hope that they were able to straighten it out for you.  And that that will be the end of it.

If not, you might want to consider trading it in on a stock Taipan, one in .22 or .25, any length.  Even with the assistance of the best brains on this forum this gun by all indications seems to be highly suspect, highly uncharacteristic of a Taipan, most assuredly less than you (and we) expected, and it mocks your existence.

So get rid of it and get you a stock, standard Taipan.  With the background of issues you have had with it I'm pretty sure you have a good case for a full refund toward the purchase of another.  And when you get it, don't adjust anything.  Just shoot it.  Just as it came out of the box. A Taipan out of the box will outshoot 99.9% of all the other airguns in the world.  So there is little to gain in fiddlin' with it, but as we have seen, much to lose.
 
Thousands and thousands of Taipan owners have done just that, just shot them as they came, out of the box, most EVEN STILL, and are some of the most satisfied and loyal airgun owners in the world.

I shot at the UTAG range for about 2 hours today, trying the 8.44, 10.34, and 13.43 JSB pellets. The gun really likes the 8.44 JSB @ 900-ish fps. Bump that to 950 and they start to open up, just as you would expect. The 10.34 JSB are grouping as well as the 8.44 @ 950 and not as well as the 8.44 @ 900. I bought a tin of 13.43 grain and it appears that they group the best. I can only push them to 840 fps with the short 13" barrel, but have to settle around 825 to be on the knee. I may have to see if I can bump the regulator pressure up because every 10 or 15 shots, there will be one flyer. Since they're really close to being slug shaped, I think they would like more speed.

I would just say screw it and get a .25, but I bought this gun specifically so I wouldn't have to deal with the caliber restrictions in IL when I move there in about six months.

[Tonykarter]

Illinois.  I understand completely.  Worked for companies in Northbrook and Mundelein.  Well, just know that a whole new world awaits you in Texas if the Illinois thing doesn't work out.  Come on down.