Cocking Issue With My New TX 200 MK3

[homer66_59]

Hello To all. My name is Tim and I have an issue with my new TX 200. I bought the gun new in 2018 and did not get to shoot it until I got home from deployment in Jan 2019. I bought the gun from Pyramyd air new and had a scope mounted and the 20 rounds shot thru it to sight in the scope. I came home in 19 on R&R and shot maybe 50 rounds thru it to make sure it shot right. Before I left the cocking handle would not release from the safety. I could cock it hold the safety and it would release under pressure. I left for deployment again and returned home recently. I went to shoot a fox today in the back yard and I have the same problem. I Can cock the gun but the safety will not release the cocking handle forward. I hit with my fist thinking it was jammed and now it will still not release but the cocking lever will not go back into the detent at the end of the barrel after my transgression. Sorry for the longwinded post. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated. Also if you know of someone near Northern Va that works on airguns I can get to look at it is also appreciated. Thanks

[Chris USA]

Your post is a bit confusing. I had a TX200 III in .22 and you had to pull down with (full intent) to get the safety to trip on. It did get easier the more I used it. As for why it won't go to full latch, I do not know.

[jentry]

You said safety, but are you talking about the bear trap release? If it is stuck, then the gun is not fully cocked. Pull down a little hard on the cocking lever a few times to make sure it fully travels. That should release from the bear trap and allow everything to move as designed.

[homer66_59]

Jentry, Thank you for the response. That is exactly what is going on. I have pulled it till it will not go any further. It just won't release to send the bolt forward

[Roadworthy]

It's been awhile but as I recall there are three distinct clicks when cocking the gun as the action goes through the anti bear trap.  If you keep pulling there's a fourth click.  THAT is the one which actually cocks the gun and engages the safety.  The sear is holding the piston at this point and the anti bear trap button may be depressed to allow the cocking lever to return to battery.  If you do not pull far enough to engage the sear the anti bear trap is holding the spring making it very difficult to impossible to depress the release.  If you pull the cocking handle and hold it tightly to relieve the pressure on the anti bear trap you may depress it and EASE the cocking lever back down.

[homer66_59]

Roadworthy, Thank you for your reply. I just watched a YouTube video on how to cock the tx 200. I can't post the link here but I am doing everything right. The second safety on the bear trap won't release. I can only manually decock it.
 

[Frank in Fairfield]

You are not cocking the arm far enough.
If you are, when you dis-engage the bear-trap the arm will fall by itself toward the barrel.
You do not have to argue.
I have a TX200 and I have had every issue possible with it.
Pull the arm back far enough for the red safety to pop out to the left on the rear of the receiver.
If it does not pop out you have not cocked the arm far enough.
Have someone else try it for you.
You may not have the needed strength.
 

[Roadworthy]

Okay, now I'm confused.  What is "the second safety on the bear trap"?  The safety is the red button at the rear of the gun.  The bear trap (anti bear trap, actually) is a safety device with three distinct stops on that model.  It holds the spring pressure in those three positions so the compression tube won't get your thumb or finger as you load a pellet.  When the gun is fully cocked the release button is easily depressed and, as Frank said, the cocking lever can be easily returned to battery with virtually no resistance.  If you do not get the lever to the fourth click (actually cocking the sear) the bear trap mechanism will be under pressure from the spring preventing its release without pulling on the cocking lever to remove tension from the release button.  You cannot "half cock" the gun and shoot.  This is an all or nothing proposition.  If you find the spring difficult to work with you can get a milder spring.  I've set my TX 200 up at almost exactly 12 FPE with a spring from Air Rifle Headquarters.

[limbshaker]

Spring may be broke if it won't cock. The coils wad up and won't let the piston come back far enough to catch the trigger.

Or the piston seal popped off, which is less likely.

[Roadworthy]

Interesting.  Chase suggested a broken spring.  I hadn't even thought of that possibility.  If you decide to tackle the repair yourself the TX 200 is far and away the easiest gun I've ever seen to disassemble.

[homer66_59]

Frank, Roadworthy, Limbshaker,

Thank you for your reply. I am a spry young man at 54. I am strong enough to cock the gun. So that is not an issue. What is the issue is that It will set on the third notch of the bear trap and not release. Unless I manually decock it. I have over 1k in this gun which is brand new. Less than 100 rounds thru the gun and it is broke. I am very disappointed, to say the least. I have tuneup kits for the gun Tinbum, Vortex, and others so I have springs seals and parts. I need to take it apart.  I thought it was something I was doing wrong. But it is apparent as I thought that my brand new gun is broke not where I want to be. I am seriously considering selling this expensive POS.  I would like to thank everyone who replied to give me advice. I am honored. This site is a wealth of knowledge and I am grateful for this resource. Thank you 

[Gear_Junkie]

Timothy,
Before you consider getting rid of the gun, I would really encourage you to take it apart.  If you have an older, accurate TX, I would definitley hang onto it.  I have had quite a few issues with TX's over the past couple years.  I (and others) have found AA quality control severely lacking - rusty barrels, poorly machined sears and other parts, etc.  If you have a good one, it's worth the time to see what's going on and fix it.  Let us know what you find 

[Roadworthy]

If the cocking shoe has cracked or broken you will be unable to pull the piston far enough back to latch but the gun may feel normal in all other respects.  If this is the issue you must remove the stock to see it and it may be difficult to see the crack.  A complete disassembly is required to replace it.

[Nitrocrushr]

Timothy, you mentioned that your cocking handle wont go back into the ball detent as you try to close it.  When you smacked against the bear trap release, did your cocking handle slap back while under spring pressure?

Steve

[Duckfish]

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