Rejoining the 20 caliber crowd.

[Bayman]

All the recent collective excitement over the 20 caliber Hw50s has had me considering picking one up. Problem for me is I already have two very nice shooting Hw50s in 177 and 22. It's hard for me to justify another or selling either at a loss.

I do have a 177 Hw95 shoots very nicely at a little more than 15 fpe and I figured it might be a perfect candidate for a 20 cal upgrade. After lots of deliberation yesterday I ordered a 20 cal barrel for it. Not cheap at $187.11 with tax. Sadly about a year ago I parted out a 20 caliber Rx1 and sold the same barrel for $50. So much for my good business sense.

So the barrel I ordered is technically for a RX1 or 2. It's going to be longer than the 95k barrel. The gun will be more like a 20 caliber Hw85 with a Luxus stock. One nice thing is that it's not supposed to have dovetails and screw holes for open sights on it. I say supposed to because I reluctantly ordered it from PA and I've been stung by misrepresented products by them more than once.
After I get the barrel and satisfied with it I'll order a new linkage and rivet  from Chambers Gunspares to make caliber changes easier.

I'm excited about the conversion as I like to bench shoot this gun at 50 yards and occasionally out to a 100 yards. I think the 20 caliber will be the ticket for better long range performance.

I am a little nervous about the additional length increasing hold sensitivity and reducing accuracy. I guess, I can have it cut if I suspect it is problem. I'm wondering how one puts a choke on a cut barrel without damaging the finish?

I also ordered 6 tins of 20 cal Exacts to grab a few while they were available. Good pellets are getting scarce and expensive.


When all is said and done it'll cost me under $250 to convert a rifle I love to 20 caliber. I'll save a little money over a new 20 cal Hw50 or Hw95 and have the option to easily switch back to 177 if it makes more sense at the time. Such is the journey of an airgunning fool. Thanks for listening.
Ron

[Hoosier Daddy]

Subscribed!

[Robert 5mm]

I almost was going to offer to buy your RX-1 .20 - then it broke.

I got a R9 .22 from Flying Dragon and a .20 barrel from PA several months ago.
I was going to use the .22 barrel on my R1 but could not bring myself to do that, left the R1 as .20 (5mm).
But I did put the longer PA .20 barrel on the R9 - and it is very accurate and nice.
I was in the 2nd batch of AOA HW50 .20 purchases - it is also very accurate and nice.

Do not know if I will use the R9 .22 barrel or not.

[SpiralGroove]

PA should have a .20 caliber barrel for the HW 80 for $113. 
They will fit just fine. 
I'm not sure the RX1 barrel will fit...

[ER00z]

Hope you have fun with it. I have no expirence with the .20 cal but do see the attraction to it. If I was forced to only one caliber I would seriously consider the .20/5mm.The HW95 seems like a great candidate for it also. Looking forward to your results.

[Motorhead]

  Preaching too the choir around here about the merits of .20 cal

[Robert 5mm]

In stock problems exist at PA
I bought the last one plus the last rivet

[Bayman]

In stock problems exist at PA
I bought the last one plus the last rivet

Thanks. It doesn't surprise me. It seems everytime I deal with them its a disaster. Well if they don't have it, I'll have 6tins of JSBs to sell and save 200+ dollars

Thank God I was smart enough not to trust them and held off ordering the cocking arm and rivet.

[Yogi]

All the recent collective excitement over the 20 caliber Hw50s has had me considering picking one up. Problem for me is I already have two very nice shooting Hw50s in 177 and 22. It's hard for me to justify another or selling either at a loss.

I do have a 177 Hw95 shoots very nicely at a little more than 15 fpe and I figured it might be a perfect candidate for a 20 cal upgrade. After lots of deliberation yesterday I ordered a 20 cal barrel for it. Not cheap at $187.11 with tax. Sadly about a year ago I parted out a 20 caliber Rx1 and sold the same barrel for $50. So much for my good business sense.

So the barrel I ordered is technically for a RX1 or 2. It's going to be longer than the 95k barrel. The gun will be more like a 20 caliber Hw85 with a Luxus stock. One nice thing is that it's not supposed to have dovetails and screw holes for open sights on it. I say supposed to because I reluctantly ordered it from PA and I've been stung by misrepresented products by them more than once.
After I get the barrel and satisfied with it I'll order a new linkage and rivet  from Chambers Gunspares to make caliber changes easier.

I'm excited about the conversion as I like to bench shoot this gun at 50 yards and occasionally out to a 100 yards. I think the 20 caliber will be the ticket for better long range performance.

I am a little nervous about the additional length increasing hold sensitivity and reducing accuracy. I guess, I can have it cut if I suspect it is problem. I'm wondering how one puts a choke on a cut barrel without damaging the finish?

I also ordered 6 tins of 20 cal Exacts to grab a few while they were available. Good pellets are getting scarce and expensive.


When all is said and done it'll cost me under $250 to convert a rifle I love to 20 caliber. I'll save a little money over a new 20 cal Hw50 or Hw95 and have the option to easily switch back to 177 if it makes more sense at the time. Such is the journey of an airgunning fool. Thanks for listening.
Ron

Ron,

I have 4 HW 50's!  Never to many...

-Y

[SpiralGroove]

In stock problems exist at PA
I bought the last one plus the last rivet

Thanks. It doesn't surprise me. It seems everytime I deal with them its a disaster. Well if they don't have it, I'll have 6tins of JSBs to sell and save 200+ dollars
Thank God I was smart enough not to trust them and held off ordering the cocking arm and rivet.

Order one from PA and see how long it will take to get one in .  You can always cancel.
Guaranteed, it would be worth the wait...

[tjk]

Glad to see you trying the .20 caliber Ron. Not sure the RX barrel will work with the 95 action,...but, i was looking at your gun signature and you have two hw 50’s in .177 and .22, as well as two hw30’s in .177. Why not source a .20 hw 30 barrel and try it on the least fav .177 you already have. I have but one HW 30, and in .20 caliber,  and when I have guest over, they all seem to prefer it the best of all my springers. The .20 HW 30 is definitely a game changer and a ‘hard to put down’ shooter. Besides, you have all those .20 pellets in stock. 😁

[SpiralGroove]

Glad to see you trying the .20 caliber Ron. Not sure the RX barrel will work with the 95 action,...but, i was looking at your gun signature and you have two hw 50’s in .177 and .22, as well as two hw30’s in .177. Why not source a .20 hw 30 barrel and try it on the least fav .177 you already have. I have but one HW 30, and in .20 caliber,  and when I have guest over, they all seem to prefer it the best of all my springers. The .20 HW 30 is definitely a game changer and a ‘hard to put down’ shooter. Besides, you have all those .20 pellets in stock. 😁

+2 TJK

[Mark 611]

As MH has said, ur preaching to the choir around here on the .20cal! I currently have 2 HW50's in .20cal and 2 R1's in .20cal! + all the others I have had in the past! HW95's R9's 97K"s {etc} this is versatile caliber!!! IMO!

[Bayman]

Glad to see you trying the .20 caliber Ron. Not sure the RX barrel will work with the 95 action,...but, i was looking at your gun signature and you have two hw 50’s in .177 and .22, as well as two hw30’s in .177. Why not source a .20 hw 30 barrel and try it on the least fav .177 you already have. I have but one HW 30, and in .20 caliber,  and when I have guest over, they all seem to prefer it the best of all my springers. The .20 HW 30 is definitely a game changer and a ‘hard to put down’ shooter. Besides, you have all those .20 pellets in stock.

I'm quite happy with the 30s in 177 just the way are. Their already my favorite airguns and get exponentially more use than the others combined. I don't see much benefit in switching an 8 fpe gun to 20 caliber. In 20 caliber the gun would likely fall under the 600 fps mark. Trajectory under 600 fps is too loopy for my tastes. Not to mention I couldn't afford to feed one of my Hw30s 20 caliber pellets at the rate I use them. Plus in NY it's technically illegal to hunt with a air gun under 600 fps, as stupid as it is. My slowest gun is my 22 caliber Hw50 which is in the lower 600s with 14 grain pellets. I think the Hw50 is the starting point for properly powering a 20 caliber pellet. At least the way I like to shoot. I like them fast and flat. The 22 caliber Hw50 was kind of a mistake that I learned to like. I toy with selling it from time to time but I already have it and with peeps it's fun to clobber spinners and squirrels at close range. In the woods I much prefer my scoped 177 Hw50 over the rest. Maybe I should sell both 50s and get one in 20.

[Bayman]

In stock problems exist at PA
I bought the last one plus the last rivet

I got a tracking number and I'm supposed to get Thursday while I am at work. I won't get to see if it's right or good until Friday morning. I got my fingers crossed it's correct and in good condition. That said I won't be surprised if it's not.

Stay tuned for PA, will they get it right or not. Film on Friday

[Bladebum]

Huge fan of the 20 cal as a pester/hunter. Just a great combo of the benefits of 177 and 22. That 95 platform SMOKES those 20 cal pellets out there with authority, I think you'll be happy.

[airgunbuff]

As a rule I do not like to put down people's airgun choices or cal choices.  Having said that, when one is as old as I am and having lived the glory days of air guns I do have my opinions !!  Are they correct ??  Who really knows, just one mans observations.  This is nothing more and nothing less.
Doc Beeman was good at one thing and that was marketing !!  I lived it and I fell for it up to a point.  As a airgunner I have made about every mistake a air gun guy can make, and with those mistakes comes experience learned the old fashioned way.  Is 20 cal a bad cal ?  No it is not.  Is it a do all wonder cal ?  No it is not.  The only thing that really matters is that we shoot and have fun and relax.
I am not really fond of the 20.  Why ?? I learned how to shoot and dope the wind.  I can shoot lower and mid powered 22 cal air arms well.  It took a lifetime to do so and it was a labor of love as I love to shoot.
Most people/not all don't really want to take the time to learn how to shoot.  That is when you hear guys say it shoots like a laser.. Bla bla.  In the end 20 is just one more choice.  I am reminded of this when I ask my wife why she has to have so many handbags or shoes.. LOL.
I have too many air arms !! if you tell me that I will tell you to pound sand but it is never the less true.  But like they say who ever dies with the most toys wins !! or so they say.  Be well shoot straight and love one another and shoot every chance you get as it does do the soul good.
kindly
ron

[Bayman]

Update to the fickle flake (me) saga.
I canceled my order with pyramid after they shipped the barrel. They were good about it and promised me there'd be no shipping cost or restocking fees if I rejected delivery. Called FedEx to have them return it immediately and directly to PA as I'm often not home to intercept said delivery. We'll see how the rest of the return goes.
 I canceled it because I found a discounted 20 caliber old style Hw98 barrel. It's the length I want and 40-50 dollars cheaper than the one from PA. Chambers was nice enough to send me pictures of the slight damage to the sleeve and inspect the aesthetic condition of the barrel under the sleeve to be good. Other than the sleeve grub screws scars under the rear of the barrel. I believe it won't have sight dovetails or screw holes which will be nice.
They had everything else I wanted in stock. I ordered the
98 Barrel
Cocking arm
Cocking arm Rivet
2 Barrel shims to have on hand
Rekord trigger blade to use designing a new set back trigger for my girlfriend.
Whole thing came to $220.35 shipped. Looking forward to getting this together and laying out some longer shots.
Hopefully the JSBs print well as there's not a lot of choices and availability for the caliber right now. I've always loved the concept but this situation I think diminishes its practicality for the casual airgunner. Which is a shame.

[SteveP-52]

The JSB's shoot well in my R9 (yes, I have one in .20...lol) and should for you. The H&N's when they come available again also should. I've also had, while not stellar, decent groups with the Baracuda's which weigh almost the same as the JSB's at 13.58gr. Most people get focused on the FTT's and JSB's and forget all about those Baracuda's.

It's also a rifle I need to re-sight after swapping the Panorama that was on it in favor of an Airmax 4-12x40.

[Bayman]

My short lived experience with my 20 cal Rx1 was it could get good groups with the FTT, the regular Exacts and the Barracudas.. The JSBs and the Baracudas shared the same zero adjustments. The FTT required to be completely rezeroed.
The gun absolutely hated the JSB Heavies. Luckily any of the other three could do quarter sized groups at 50 yds. I'll be happy to get the same.