Stoeger X20 new (to me) Rifle!

[filteredsoul]

Ok... I'm new here, but I SWEAR I've used the search function, and looked at the library, but I have a really "noob" question...
First, a little background...
I just took delivery of a Stoeger X20 (with scope) and I've put about 50 pellets thru it. I love the gun. I'm having fun learning it, and enjoying the accuracy. Already in the first 50 pellets the sound level has decreased to about half of what the first shot was like... CRACK! Probably as loud as my rimfire .22! I have the trigger kit to be installed, but I haven't done it yet. I wanted to use the rifle "as is" for a while before I started messing with it.
Here's the question... at some point I'd love to strip the whole thing and do a home tune, but right now I'm not there. I don't have a spring compressor, etc... So for now, what things can I do to maintain/improve the rifle without being too intrusive? I haven't cleaned it at all, I just opened the box and started shooting. I've read that cleaning the bore makes a difference... what else?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Dan

[Bob P]

A good assortment of different pellets to test..

Welcome to GTA.

[thekid]

Lots can be done.
Only things that can be done with out dismantling is...clean the barrel, try different pellets.

I have an x20 .22, seriously tuned and seriously accurate.
Good gun as is...tuned, great gun, for the money.

[filteredsoul]

Thanks for the replies... The only pellets I have for now are the Stoeger brand X-Field domes. I ordered everything from Archer and he was out of the "Peak" domes so I had to spring for the $12 tin of Stoegers... Do you have any recommendations? I could hit the local stores here (Walmart, Dicks Sports) to see what they have, but if I had to buy online I think I'd get dizzy looking at all the different pellets. I'm not much of a paper target 10 meter guy so a wadcutter shape would probably not be a top priority. I'm more of a general plinking or pest control at 40 yards or less kinda guy. I'd love to hear any suggestions to get me started.
Also, I'm now on the hunt to find the best way to clean the barrel of this thing.
Shot it more last night, and it's a fun little rifle. The factory "adjustable" trigger doesn't seem to do too much though. I may install the fancy gold one sooner than later!

[thekid]

On pellets... mine loves, stoeger Xfield and predator polymags. Stoeger pellets are made by H&N, But I beleive they are unsorted, as they all fit different in the breach. The H&N FTT will be sorted and much better.

To Clean the barrel, you need weed whacker line, cut a length a little longer than the barrel. Melt one end and flatten it, the other end sharpen. Then pierce a patch, pull down to melted end, soak in Goo Gone. Pull the patch through the breach followed by dry patches till clean.

The GRT111 trigger is a must.
To help with accuracy, I would suggest replacing the Barrel hing bolt washers. They are plastic and will fail.
Remove action from stock, remove barrel hinge bolt, remove barrel from receiver. There you will find the plastic washers I speak of.
 new ones can be made or bought from Gene at Airgun toyz in the GTA Mall. After the barrel will stay put where you leave it, after cocking the gun. This will help increase acuracy.

[Bob P]

I second the GRT111! not much you can safely do to the stock trigger mech.

[tardip]

If your X20 is a .177, JSB Exacts worked great in the one I had. I even shot heavies in mind for a while and it did fine with them. Those exacts wreaked havoc on squirrels out to 35 yards. I never tuned mine or replaced the trigger. I swabbed the barrel with bore paste and got it good and clean and kept moving. It dieseled in the break in period. They are real good rifles when broke in. For some reason, I just got along with the trigger. I didn't like it, I just got along with it. The trigger mod and a tune would make for an A+ shooter.

[filteredsoul]

THAT'S the kind of stuff I'm looking for. I am planning on doing the trigger replacement (as I already have it) and while I'm in there I'll find/make/replace the hinge washers. As for the Stoeger pellets, I read a review where someone said they were H&N. Didn't know they were unsorted though... makes sense as each one I place in the breach seems to fit different. I checked on Pyramid and they have both the JSB exacts and the H&N FTT's. That's probably what I'll stock up on.
I found all the weed wacker line cleaning info yesterday and I have both line and patches at home... just need to get some goo gone and I'll be ready to clean. I'd love a tune, but maybe that will come in time.
By the way... gun can't be all that bad stock. I got my first squirrel last night when I got home. 1 shot... 1 kill. approx 25 yds.
I think I'm going to like this thing!

[filteredsoul]

ok... so I installed the GRT-III and I have to say it IS different... and much "golder". As for improving anything, can't say it's done anything yet. I guess in mind the "breaking a glass rod" was a little different.
Things I like:
Gold color
1st and 2nd stage
a little bit more defined feel of when the sear is going to break
Things I'm not sure about:
1st stage is reeeeeeally short
free "play" in the 1st stage. Is this normal?
If I pull thru the small 1st stage, get to the begining of stage 2 and stop, if I let my finger off the trigger, it will be loose. Like I can flop it back and forth. Is this correct? To me there should still be some spring tension or something...
Also, for me, to achieve the "glass rod" feel I think a trigger "stop" that would physically stop the movement of the trigger just past the sear breaking would contribute nicely... just me though. TONS of people rave about the trigger so I must just not know what a good trigger is like...

[filteredsoul]

So I learned that the upper and lower sears do start to move apart during the first stage of trigger pull... so that means that my "floppy" 1st stage trigger is normal. The gold trigger doesn't have an extra "return spring" that forces it back to its origin... so basically the gold trigger is telling me the truth of what the sears are doing. I also found that the secondary adjustment screw (the one toward the front of the trigger) adjusts for the safety bar. I didn't have to file any material off the safety bar... I just had to adjust the screw to angle the trigger for clearance. However, I would like a bit "longer" 1st stage. To do so, I'd have to adjust the screw, but then it would interfere with the safety bar... As it's adjusted now, 1st and 2nd are both pretty short. Still definable, just short. Here's my plan... Don't jump all over me, but I think I'll remove the "safety pin" in the trigger -which would make the safety non-functioning, but it would enable me to really play with the trigger and its adjustments. Once I figure out how I like it, I'll re-install the safety pin in the trigger and file anything if necessary.
Am I on the right track here?

[Ahab]

I wouldn't put Goo Gone in that barrel unless you want rust in it. Why people insist on putting Citric acid in their barrels is beyond me.

[thekid]

Problem is with the pin out, you change the geometry of the trigger.
That pin for the safety, also is what presses against the upper sear when pulling the trigger, removing it puts the contact at the back of the trigger blade.
When you re-install the pin, you will have to start all over again.

Besides all this....You will be told it is unsafe.

[filteredsoul]

HA! I get it...
un-safe.

Thanks for the info regarding taking the pin out. I didn't know it did all that PLUS disable the trigger when the safety was on.
Guess I'll just keep turning screws.

[dwk54rak]

Ahab. I agree wit you Citric acid is acid. Balistol (invented by the Germans in World warII) ia not petro based and works on everything. Removes rust
Darrell

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

"Balistol (invented by the Germans in World warII) ia not petro based and works on everything. Removes rust "
***************************************************
The main constituent of Balistol is mineral oil. Good stuff too!

[Airik]

I wouldn't put Goo Gone in that barrel unless you want rust in it. Why people insist on putting Citric acid in their barrels is beyond me.

Goo Gone doesn't promote rust and is also safe for bluing.

[Ahab]

I wouldn't put Goo Gone in that barrel unless you want rust in it. Why people insist on putting Citric acid in their barrels is beyond me.

Goo Gone doesn't promote rust and is also safe for bluing.

Oh yes it does, especially in high humidity areas. Do your thorough GG cleaning and leave it set for a few days. Run a clean patch through and then tell me what you think that red-brown color is.  Balistol is a much better solution. By the way, bluing is a rusting process.

[Airik]

I wouldn't put Goo Gone in that barrel unless you want rust in it. Why people insist on putting Citric acid in their barrels is beyond me.

Goo Gone doesn't promote rust and is also safe for bluing.

Oh yes it does, especially in high humidity areas. Do your thorough GG cleaning and leave it set for a few days. Run a clean patch through and then tell me what you think that red-brown color is.  Balistol is a much better solution. By the way, bluing is a rusting process.

I actually called Goo Gone yesterday and spoke to a product specialist about this exact question, and that's what the gentleman told me.  He said that the citric acid is minute enough to not worry about.  And the natural oils in the Goo Gone also helps in not promoting rust.  And I know bluing is a form of rust.  I'm a newbie to airguns as of last year, so I'm no expert whatsoever, but I've cleaned my guns twice this way, and no problems.  I just make sure to run dry patches through each way and shoot the gun at least 20 shots after the Goo Gone.  So many others use Goo Gone, including the owner of this forum, that I won't worry.  Nothing wrong with Ballistol, but it is ancient, and there's better cleaners/lubes out there.  I wouldn't trust anything that "cleans & dissolves traces of copper, lead, brass, zinc, & tombac" ... at least not in my Chinese guns.  Nor would I use WD40 or Liquid Wrench or any penetrating oil.  Ballistol is used in firearms with harder metal.  This subject could be hacked to death, and still be debated.  We all do things different, and I respect that.  We actually used a homebrew coolant/anti-rust stuff in the machines and in cleaning the parts after they came out of the CNC's in the CNC plant I worked at for a couple years making hydrostatic transmissions.  I'm unkown of this "secret sauce" but I brought home some parts and after 4 years, the raw iron was just starting to surface-rust.  I'm sure there's a hundred different things we could use in soft air gun barrels with no ill effect.