by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
BB’s TX200 Mark III.
Today we’ll begin looking at the current TX200 Mark III. This will be an unprecedented look at a second rifle — the one that’s being shipped right now. I’m doing this because of many questions readers have asked over the years. Is the TX that’s shipping today the same as my TX that was bought over a decade ago? How does a new rifle perform right out of the box? Has the finish quality dropped off over the years?
That’s the problem I face with my reports. If the gun does well, I’m asked if I think another one will be just as good. And, if it has shortcomings, I’m asked if I think another gun might be better. The TX200 Mark III is too important for this kind of confusion to remain; so just this one time, I’m testing the same, identical model — to see if what I’ve been telling you about the rifle holds true.
Brand new TX200 Mark III. It’s very similar to my TX, but the checkering is different and the line of the forearm is more scalloped.
The rifle
The new rifle looks different because it has fish-scale checkering, rather than the more traditional diamond pattern that’s on my rifle. The borders of the checkered panels are foliate scrolls and oak leaves. And, like the rifles of the past, there are four panels — two on the grip and two more on the forearm. The wood is beech, because that’s what I ordered. Of course, walnut is still available as an option, as are left-hand stocks (but only in the optional walnut models).
I see the forearm is more scalloped than the one on my rifle. It swoops up from the flat in front of the triggerguard instead of lining up straight like mine. That gives the rifle a sveldt look, though the bulk is identical to my rifle.
The checkering on the new rifle is fish-scale — an option that used to cost a lot of money when it was done by hand. The sliding chamber catch is in the center of this picture.
I’m testing serial No. 127507. It’s a .177-caliber model, just like the rifle we’ve been reviewing all along. Like all TX200 Mark IIIs, this rifle has a shrouded barrel with baffles. That’s been on the model since it was introduced over a decade ago. Although the rifle’s report is quieter as a result of the baffles, it doesn’t sound quieter to the shooter because the sound of the powerplant is conducted through the bones on his face that are in contact with the stock.
The TX200 stock is about as ideal as rifle stocks get, especially for those who shoot field target. It was designed at a time when field target was the biggest game in town, and the shape of this stock is perfect for that sport. There is a relatively flat spot just forward of the triggerguard where the rifle rests on your off hand, and the pistol grip is very vertical, giving you excellent control over the trigger. The trigger is based on the famous Rekord trigger that Weihrauch made famous a half-century ago. The TX trigger, however, is more adjustable than the Rekord unit and allows you to have release weights lower than 1 lb. There are more adjustments that I will cover in detail in a future report.
The TX trigger is an improvement on the Rekord by Weihrauch. There are more adjustments.
The wood fit is flawless, as you would expect to find on a rifle in this price range. You expect it, but you don’t always get it. Air Arms has always had flawless wood, and I’m just reporting that the current model has not relaxed the standards one iota!
Let’s talk about the metal. Anyone who buys a TX200 is always surprised when they open the box. The metal finish on the gun is so deep, black and flawless that it takes your breath away. Even if you’ve owned other fine British airguns, every new TX200 is a surprise and a joy when first beheld. Maybe some of our blog readers who have just acquired TXs can comment on that.
This is an underlever rifle. The underlever mechanism is held near the muzzle by a ball bearing detent. It’s smooth, and unobtrusive, but the lever pops out the moment you pinch it with your fingers. I found the test gun made more noise when cocked when it was new than does my personal TX200. Then, I remembered that my TX also made noise when it was new. By “noise” I don’t mean a lot — just a little sound of the piston sliding back as the rifle is cocked. The cocking effort is perhaps 1 or 2 lbs. higher than my rifle, but I think that will change as this rifle breaks in.
I fired a couple shots just to see how the new rifle felt. It feels similar to my TX, but there’s a bit more twang to the firing cycle. I think it’ll also go away after a few thousand shots have been put through the gun. As I recall, I made the same observation about my rifle when I first got it, and it smoothed out relatively fast.
The TX has a sliding compression chamber that has to come back out of the way for the breech to be exposed for loading. It also pushes the piston back so the sear can catch it. For safety, there’s a ratcheting lock that catches and holds the sliding compression chamber even when the rifle is not yet cocked. The lock is located on the right side of the spring tube, just behind the loading port. After you’ve loaded the pellet, you push down on the lock to slide the chamber back to the closed position. The piston remains back until released by the sear. It takes longer to explain than to do; and after you’ve loaded the rifle a few times, it’ll become second nature to you.
With the underlever pulled down and back, the rifle is cocked. The sliding compression chamber is back out of the way, and the breech is exposed for loading.
When the rifle is cocked, the safety automatically comes on. It’s a button located at the left rear of the spring tube and must be pushed in for the rifle to fire. It’s easy enough to do when the rifle is up on your shoulder, so wait until you’re on target before releasing it.
There are no open sights, as you can clearly see in the first picture. And there’s no easy way to install them on this rifle. Therefore, you need to think about mounting a scope. The rifle is set up well to accept scope rings, and the lack of any sights means nothing gets in the way to dim your view of the target.
You can see the TX200 mounting system and how to install rings in an article I wrote several years ago about installing scope mounts. That article was based on my rifle, but nothing has changed with the latest model. Of course, I’ll be installing a scope on this test rifle when we get to the accuracy report.
Bottom line thus far
So far, I have to say the latest TX200 Mark III is in no important way different than my rifle. It’s still well-made with the best materials, and it’s finished flawlessly. There’s no cause for concern over Air Arms cheapening the design in any way. In fact, I like the shape of the stock and the look of the checkering on this latest rifle better than on my rifle.
Just from what I’ve seen so far, I believe this latest TX will play out just like my rifle did. The one thing that’s significantly different is that, this time, you all get to watch.
Any benefit (weight, color, etc) going with beech stock over walnut other than price?
The walnut stock is a little lighter in weight. All of them that I have seen make the beech stock look ho hum. This air rifle is the cream of the sproingers, so if you are going to buy one, why not spend just a little more and get the crème de la crème?
Bub,
Beech is a lot stronger than walnut. And that is the biggest benefit.
B.B.
BB
Isn’t the top picture here in part 7 of your old gun?
All the rest are of the new gun right?
Oh and I see it says BB’s Mark III in the red high light. But it doesn’t say BB’s old Mark III.
Are you trying to keep us on our toes again? 🙂
GF1,
The first gun is mine. The second one and all the other pix are the latest Mark III that Pyramyd AIR sent me to test.
B.B.
BB
I like the old and new engraving on both guns. And the white filler they use on the new gun at the recoil pad and at the bottom of the pistol grip is nice. Is the black end cap on the bottom of the pistol grip plastic or rubber?
Maybe my laptop is showing some reflection from the pictures or something and that white filler is not really there?
GF1,
There is no white line spacer between the black butt pad and the stock. What you are seeing is a specular highlight from smooth black rubber.
There is a white line spacer between the pistol grip and the grip cap. The grip cap is made of a contrasting wood. Thank you for drawing my attention to it — it is a beautiful touch.
B.B.
BB
I thought that I was seeing something different going on with the new gun verses the old gun.
And its nice to see that they are upgrading the new gun.
From what I have seen with the Air Arms guns the wood is beautiful as well as the finish on their guns. I believe they have a Italian company produce the wood stocks if I remember right. And its nice to see that they are going the extra step on the new TX.
My version is in the .22 cal Beech. I really like the finish on my gun especially the fish scale and it always brings a smile to my face when I pull it out. The scope I have mounted on it is a Leapers Bug Buster. It works for me out to about 60 yards. Since you started your current article I’ve had mine out more than usual 🙂 Last weekend on Sat I achieved my best group of ten at about 50 yards, 2.1 inches. This gun is truly a great one to own! Thanks for your article B.B.
Bear,
Thanks for your input. Now I have some data on the .22 performance.
B.B.
Hello Bear! A few questions. What is your .22 TX’ s pellet of choice? What is you zero range? How much holdover do you have at 50 yards? Thank you.
Pop’s,
My MK3 does it’s best with JSB Exact Jumbo 15.89. Next I hope to answer the question your asking. I zeroed my scope to 30 yards and at 50 yards I hold up 2.5 on the reticule. Hope this answers your questions. I now that I have a lot to learn as far as technicalities are concerned.
Thank you so much for the reply! I have a clarification. What is your holdover at 50 yards in inches? Is your holdover 2.5 mildots or 2.5 inches with a 30 yard zero? Thanks. I know what you mean about the learning process. Infinite knowledge to chase, and finite time.
The answer to your first question I believe is about 6 inches or 2.5 mil dot. I can not answer the second question.
Pops
I think the other question you forgot to ask was what power the scope was set at.
You know that changes things also and at what range the gun was zeroed at when your start talking mil dot and what a mil dot represents in inches for POI.
Then add in the drag coefficient and weight and caliber of the pellet. A level or angled shot, wind direction and speed, barometric and atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature and so on.
You guys already know about me and cars so I’m just kind of relating this part to cars.
When I was bracket racing for money (at my serious point in time drag racing) there was quite a few of us that had the portable weather stations that told wind direction, speed, air temperature and pressure.
If you didn’t know how to determine what the gage said you probably wasn’t going to get the air/fuel ratio correct. And if you didn’t make the jetting changes to your carb or plug in the old lap top for the fuel injected tuning as the day went on. You were probably off a couple of tenths of what you thought you were supposed to run and I guarantee you that it was already to late for you for the next round.
When I first started posting on the blog and I talked about all the variables involved while shooting. these are some of things I meant. As anything goes. You can make it as complicated as you would like.
As for me I think I just like to have a (Gun) and have (Fun) with (1)every now and then. 😉
Correction necessary, Zeroed in at 20 yards
Although it is louder and harder to cock, I desire the HC. In walnut, of course. Now in case any of you out there are feeling generous, I will also accept a Mk III in beech.
“There are more adjustments that I will cover in detail in a furture report.” …should be future.
Fixed. Thanks! Edith
B.B.,
I noted your observation that the brand new TX200 MKIII has baffles in the shroud. I have read conflicting accounts regarding this when it comes to new rifles sold in the U.S.
On the Air Arms web site the description of the TX200 MKIII says it has a “Built-in moderator (country dependent).”
Could you verify that new MKIIIs imported to the U.S. still have baffles in the shroud?
Thanks,
Michael
Michael,
I can tell you that about a month ago Pyramyd AIR asked Air Arms that question and they said that all TX 200 Mark IIIs have baffles in the barrel. The gun I am testing does have them. I can both see and feel them.
B.B.
B.B.
Just wondering why manufacturers aren’t offering under lever rifles with gas springs??
Pete
Pete,
Perhaps Crosman will offer an “NP” version of the Benjamin MAV-77 when it comes out in the summer of 2012. (LOL)
Michael
Pete
There are certain problems involved .
Underlevers and side levers usually are going to have a center rod in the piston for catching the trigger. Diana, the TX, and the 97/77 come to mind. No place to put a gas piston.
In order to use the current gas pistons, you would have to remove the center rod, then set up the piston for a side catch, and make a different trigger assembly to use it . We talking about more money here.
Then, a gas piston is harder to cock than a spring . And with the typical shorter cocking lever than a break barrel it is going to be a bear to cock. More expensive rifle would have a more limited market. I can’t see that anyone would bother with it.
twotalon
Pete,
Not enough demand?
B.B.
They said the same thing abut putting airbags in all cars. Now it is standard equipment. There is another dealer who is offering gas springs as an option on an under lever springer that he sells.
From all the reports, they work quite well.
Pete
Pete,
Vortek made a gas spring for the TX 200 back in the 1990s. But it was harder to cock and didn’t add anything. So they dropped it. Maybe that’s what has happened?
B.B.
BB
Was the Vortek gas spring for the TX 200 as smooth to shoot as the metal spring version?
GF1,
I don’t know. I never tested one. Tom Gore, the owner of Vortek, told me about it.
B.B.
BB
That’s what I basically meant.
I didn’t know if you actually got to shoot one with the gas spring.
I would think it would be hard for the gas spring to beat the smoothness of the factory spring. Although it would be nice to have the option available I guess for the people who would want the gas spring.
Pete,
Gas springs are expensive => Most consumers shoot much worse than a difference between gas spring and coil spring => Why should manufacturers put gas springs?
And do not forget that gas springs cannot be installed on “central hook” systems – most Dianas, Weihrauchs, Air Arms, etc. – without a serious rework. They are mainly for “side grip” systems.
duskwight
I had PA install a gas spring in my CFX. It quite literally tore the gun apart.
Having said that, if you were to install one in a brand new CFR, it would probably be OK if you find the right one for it. A good sproinger is a fine balancing act. The cost of R & D and then adding additional cost to an already more expensive type of sproinger makes the marketeers shudder.
Some companies offer custom gas rams. I had one made for the IZH-60.
It doesn’t torque or buzzes anymore but it now kicks like a mule because the IZH is such a light weight rifle.
Nothing like trying it to know if it’s better or not…
J-F
…..after-blog conversation in my head between good dd and bad dd….
I can’t shoot springers worth a darn.
(eyeballs the TX webpage @ PA)
For that kind of money I could pick up that Ruger 1911 I’ve had my eye on.
(Only $70 more for the walnut stock? Gawd I love fish scale checkering!)
The wife will go BALLISTIC if I order another airgun.
(Could always send her out shopping when the FedX gorilla is due to arrive)
I should really use that cash to pay the electric bill, or buy groceries.
(The power company has been screwing me for years, time for a little payback. And I could stand to lose a few pounds anyway.)
SOLD!
BB you are an evil, evil man!!! : )
DD,
may I recommend a LED lantern powered by 4 D cells should your power go away. the batteries can last for a month if you only use it at night. Kidding aside, the TX will amaze you how much better it is compared to your other Springers in your collection. Just wait and congratulations!
Fred DPRoNJ
Those darn bills are killing us! If it wasn’t for all those bills to pay we could buy more cool stuff and help global economy! We’d be doing everyone a favor.
I need a HW75, Mauser C96, Luger P08, Walther P38 and one of those sweeeet looking TX200.
I only have to get the TX at another store to have the detuned Canadian version, everything else could be bought at PA.
J-F
DD,
Moah-ha-ha! (as I curl the ends of my Snidley Whiplash moustache)
I am not evil! I am — Super Enabler! 😉
BTW, please don’t tell your wife where I live! Too easy to get contracts through the internet these days.
B.B.
This may be my story one day. Is this for real? If so, I hope we hear your reaction to the gun. I’ve heard good things about the Ruger 1911 by the way.
Matt61
I’ve worked enough O.T. lately to cover both, so will order the TX Friday or Monday and will definitely keep you informed. Can’t find the Ruger locally yet so that will have to wait a bit longer.
Sigh. Why can’t I just have everything RIGHT NOW!!! heehee
Howdy Mr. BB, Ms. Edith & the Gang. Mr. BB, Thanx, sir! Haven’t dun much chimmin’ in cuz I don’t know enough ta even know what I don’t know. Finally got Mr. Nasty back together & dialed in with a new (straight) barrel. I’m runnin through my collection of domed/rounds that includes all of Mr. BB’s 10 best. Shootin’ the T-Rex side by side with Mr. Nasty w/each pellet, is like throwin’ a leg over a ’78 Shovelhead (yup, a gutterball) bagger & burnin’ up a few miles of twisties, then repeat with the road tunes cranked on my ’08 FLHX. The charm of the old iron wears off about the time the drum solo from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida hits. Same thing, but completly different experience. One leaves ya shaken & slightly stirred, the other leaves ya weak in the knees. Mr. BB, Thanx again, sir. Shoot/ride safe ya’ll.
Beaz
Beazer
What gun are you referring to when you say Mr.Nasty? Can’t remember for some reason. Or maybe you haven’t said what it is?
Howdy Gunner! Mr. Nasty is a Nitro Venom Dusk .177, w/GRT trigger, UTG 3-12×40 front AO scope & a lovely, very attractive blood, sweat & tears finish!?! All seriouness aside can’t really blame the gun. Only true fault w/it is the anatomy of the stock…meanin’ the boob attached ta the butt. Knowin’ nuttin’ about nuttin’, just bought the wrong gun for all the right reasons (yeah, I know, gosh, really? That never happens!). Quickly learned that what I knew about shootin’ was a vauge idea of which end of the gun ya point @ the target. W/ALOT of help from Victor, Mr. BB’s old blogs & the Gang here & practice I wuz able ta nail a few .330-.400 @ 23 yrd groups, before the afore mentioned boob bent the barrel tryin’ ta adjust the trigger & in the process learned another valuable lesson. If it ain’t broke, (say it w/me) don’t try ta fix it. So for me, the T-Rex is more than just a great piece, it’s a reward fur “payin’ my dues”! Sorry fur the ramblin’, but you asked? Shoot/ride safe.
Beaz
Speaking of Victor…has anyone heard from him? He hasn’t posted a comment in some time. Hope he’s okay.
Edith
Howdy Ms. Edith, maybe we oughta do a roll call once a week & ya can’t miss more than 2 weeks w/out a note from mom? On second thought, there are those (me), that’d be kinda nice if they wood only check in once a week. Happy Hollow weenie, got my costume all ready ta go. Gonna git nekkid w/a pair of roller skates & go as a pull toy!?! Yup, scariest costume ya ever did see!!!
Beaz
Edith,
communicated with Victor just last week. He has been helping me tremendously off the blog with respect to my mediocre skills dealing with pistol shooting. As far as I know, all is well but hopefully he will read the blog comments and respond himself.
Fred DPRoNJ
Its all good Mr. Beazer. I didn’t think you were rambln’ just another good tell.
And I’m getting me one of those TX Mark III’s sooner or later too. I only got one springer in the crowd right now and that’s my Air King 54 so I think he’s feeling kinda lonely around all his neighbor PCP, Pump and Co2 Guns.
You got to make your guns happy you know. If you want them to shoot right. So I think the TX would get along just fine with my 54.
I will have to get a TX and see. 🙂
After ‘listening-in’ here, thought the independence & reliability of a world class springer should be on my gun rack. So went to buy a TX 200 MkIII last week-end. Yet, due to muscular problems I’m currently having, weight is crucial, so had to settle for a slightly lighter HW 98. Not the best in the world but pretty close, I hope you guys would agree.
Shot a .75 inch group at 22yds in the yard (from my shooting chair) on Saturday. Very windy at the Club range on Sunday, didn’t hit many kill zones.
However was offered a shot with an Air Arms S200 Sporter, from the 84 year-old range master. Only 6 pounds, plus scope, light as a feather & very accurate. I’ve asked my gun dealer to call me if he gets a good second-hand S200.
Thanks for you wit & wisdom guys
Gwyn
The S200 is a good one. But do you really think lighter weight will assist accuracy? I’ve found the opposite to be true.
Matt61
You’re right Matt, I believe substantial build = weight = accuracy, if other stuff is in place, generally speaking; but I’m currently fighting an upper body wobble due to muscular depletion. I’m exercising to reverse the problem though.
ATB
Gwyn
That is a good question about variation in quality, and I suspect that the TX200 will do extremely well here. So on the subject of bluing, what exactly is the difference between a good bluing job and a good paint job? There are paints that can be made to look shiny and pretty much however you want. I suspect that the bluing has some kind of a different internal luster, but I haven’t paid enough attention to bluing as my conversion to the wood and metal style was not so long ago. I love the look and feel of my Enfield No. 4 even with a few dings in the stock. I can’t image what I would feel like unboxing a TX200.
/Dave, thanks! Yes, I take a certain amount of satisfaction in my record of pellets. At the beginning, I calculated that it would take 7 years at my rate of shooting to fire off 1 million rounds, and I am off the pace. And it would take considerably more to burn out on the scale of Matt Biondi. On the contrary, I see much room for growth. And having struggled for years, I’m not going to miss out on my chance when I’m starting to shoot well and consistently. I even have a kind of ideal of repetitive practice. So, there I was in Istanbul, Turkey looking in on a rug factory which is a big industry there. It seems like everyone there is trying to give you a cup of tea and sell you a rug. So, there was one little girl doing a repetitive task that was part of the rug production process. Actually, it was awful to see. She looked like she was about 7 years old, and I don’t expect they paid her a lot. Her face was expressionless, and it didn’t look like a lot was going on there. But what caught my attention was the motion of her hand. It was a kind of twisting motion of a thread followed by a cut with shears. Thousands and possibly millions of repetitions had honed this motion to a high level of mastery. It was subtle and effortless and completed in the blink of an eye and always exactly the same. It was something you would expect from a much older person. Now if I could get my trigger squeeze to look like that…
Slinging Lead, I won’t disagree with your analysis of the TX200 since those are all the reasons I would want to get one. Apart from the rational analysis of why one gun fits a person, I have a dramatic example of how this happens and how one might express it. There is a film called Man in the Wilderness recreating the real life story of a trapper named Zachary Taylor who was mauled by a grizzly bear and left to die by his fellow trappers. One of these who helped himself to Taylor’s gun was the 19 year old Jim Bridger. Anyway, against expectations and the horrible evidence, Taylor does not die but recovers and starts tracking his erstwhile companions who for some reason that I could never figure out are trying to haul a large boat across country in the film. The film ends with a battle between the trappers and the Indians. The trappers are firing small cannon from their boat and fighting it out in the mud with the Indians, and just at that moment, Zachary Taylor comes striding along from another direction. He brushes the Indians aside until they overwhelm him and sit on him with sheer weight of numbers. But then they figure that he is not a real threat since he’s by himself and that he’s the white man’s problem. They also admire the makeshift spear he has made for himself to stay alive. By this time, the battle has come to a halt. So, Taylor marches right through the ranks of trappers which give way for him right up to the company leaders who left him for dead. And what does he say when he finally confronts them? “I believe that’s my gun.” What can they do but give up the goods which they happen to be holding? Don’t come between a man and his chosen gun I say.
I also liked and agree with your comments on the fighting qualities of Southern white country boys. General Ulysses S. Grant said something similar. He proposed that if you combine the rebel infantry with the federal artillery, you will have an unstoppable combination. And as it turned out, the American artillery in WWII was superior. German observers noted its pinpoint accuracy that was much in advance of the Soviet bombardments although the Soviets laid down so much steel it probably didn’t matter. And until Korea at least, the U.S. Marine Corps has been a disproportionately Southern organization as I’ve been told by veterans from that period.
Writer Stephen Hunter has also weighed in on this subject when one of his characters says, “There ain’t no better soldier than your Southern white country boy. Proud to say that I’ve served with them in the special forces for 22 years. They have stones the size of cars, and they can shoot. But they’ve got this thing about their honor. You cross one of them boys and they make it their business to even the score. I’ve seen it too many times to talk about.” As a matter of fact, this was established in an interesting study. Actors were hired to randomly shove guys on college campuses and call them a ding-dong, and the reaction was significantly more robust in the South.
While traveling through the South many years ago, I was struck at how this region which seems to still identify heavily with the Civil War is also far and away the most obviously patriotic with American flags everywhere. Kind of interesting.
Matt61
Matt61, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal, “a good bluing job”? How can you possibly write that w/a straight face!?!
Matt,
Yes, it didn’t.
I can tell you 2 stories.
One happened in late October 1944 in what today is Estonia, Moonzund landing. Grandpa’s recce platoon (some 40 men) dropped from torpedo boats and captured a small island with a radio station and some storage facilities. It was almost no fighting – Germans were too slow. However Germans sent 2 Schnellboots from a nearby island with men in attempt to retake the island. Boats were raining fire from their 20-mms. Grandpa used radio to get a link with artillery, temporarily attached to his platoon and stationed some kms away across the strait. After receiving coordinates and confirmation from a spotter, artillery made 2 shots to estimate and a single salvo to sink 1 Schnellboot. Another one simply turned tail.
Another one – early spring 1945. Grandpa asked artillery major, commanding a regiment, attached to “his” rifle division to postpone an artillery strike for 2-3 hours. He suspected that a small town can hold some valuable officers or documents, so he and his men could obtain them by their usual means or even disrupt enemy comms and “crack” the town from inside, marking all the valuable targets and strongpoints for precision strikes. Artillery man spat out his cigarette and told Grandpa – “You have your orders, lieutenant, but I’ve got mine and a burning desire to bring them to life which means – 4 shells per square metre. Carry on”.
duskwight
My two favorite phrases from todays blog:
Beazer’s “All seriousness aside…”
and Duskwight’s “Yes, it didn’t.”
Greetings B.B. and Fellow Airheads
Another gloriously sunny day in the southwest of Canada. I finished harvesting my prized Golden Delicious apples today. Although I also have a Spartan apple tree, my wife’s favorite, I prefer the taste of the Golden hands down. Macintosh are the variety I used to eat as a boy growing up in Calgary. This was a special time, as it signaled the coming of Halloween. Here in the Okanagan valley, there are a dozen varieties of apple grown for export in North America, and overseas. Recently, the most popular is a variety called Fuji. The Fuji, as the name would suggest, is an export to Japan, and can command the equivalent of $40.00 per apple. They are quite labour intensive, as each apple needs to be covered in early July, so as not to sunburn. They have developed a special cover that allows the sun to burn a small informational logo onto each apple. Compared to my trees, the Fuji apple tree is quite small, and produces less fruit.
Matt
As it happens, Charles Dickens has always been one of my favorite authors. I remember reading a Tale of Two Cities as a young teen. I was amazed by the names he gave his characters. Who cannot think of a cheapskate when they hear the name Scrooge? He was a master of the English language, and loved to write about social issues of the day. Many of his novels have been adapted to the screen, but I think most loose a lot of their social satire compared with the novel form. The early 50‘s version of A Christmas Carol staring Allister Sims, has become a holiday classic. My favorite line of any novel would be, “It was the best of times, it was the wort of times.” from the beginning of A tale of Two Cities. I read Great Expectations back in my teens, We are talking over 40 years since then. From your brief excerpt, I plan on making a journey to the library and pick a copy up. One simply cannot go wrong with Dickens.
Towtalon and B.B.
I thought I would fill you in on my on going trials with my under leaver .22cal HW97. To refresh your memory, I stated the piston rod wouldn’t engage with the trigger, as it seemed to be hitting something at the end of the cocking stroke before it could engage. Let me say I appreciate the suggestions you offered, and used them, but to no avail. One downfall to owning multiple guns, is you are not desperate to fix the one that is ailing. This is my excuse for tardy repairs anyway. This weekend, I was determined to find the trouble, and after a half dozen disassembly’s, I discovered the bear trap was hitting the front of the Record trigger. It was able to do this because the hole drilled into the trap to allow room for the front trigger bolt receptacle ( not sure of the name) was made too large from the factory. This allowed the bear trap to move left and right as you made the trap secure. The trap was hitting the front of the trigger, instead of fitting around it. This made the cocking stroke come to an abrupt stop. I have not heard of this problem before now, and I discovered it only by process of elimination. If all else looks right, then what could the problem be? It shoots as good as ever now. Again, thank you for your suggestions. I learned a lot from solving this problem, and I’m glad I have a forum where I can share the solution with so many like minds.
Ciao
Titus
Titus…
There is a small, but bit taller than you would expect, washer that goes in the anti beartrap for the trigger screw mounting stud to fit through. This spaces the stud just above, but centered in the anti beartrap. In other words, it takes the slop out without pinching the anti beartrap.
You lose the washer ?
twotalon
http://www.gunspares.co.uk/products/24576/HW97
part… W208
twotalon
Titus,
That’s a new one on me! Oh, well — you did persist and find it. Good for you!
B.B.
BB/Edith
Is the TX200 still made with a Lothar Walther barrel? It was my understanding that all the guns that AA makes are supplied with barrels from LW. However, I don’t see that information reported in any of the blogs about the TX200, or on the description page of the gun on the PA website. While the gun doesn’t really need anything else to recommend it, the inclusion of a Lothar Walther barrel seems like a feature worthy of noting. As a matter of fact, the AA Prosport is described as having a LW barrel.
One other thing I noticed in the description of the TX200 while checking on the status of the barrel was the following statement:
“NEW! It now has a shrouded barrel!” You state in the blog that this feature has been on the rifle for over a decade. OK, I have picked all the nits that needed picking for now.
Slinging Lead,
All 3 of the Air Arms springer guns need better descriptions. I’ll see if I can get to them before the end of the year.
I removed the mention of the NEW shrouded barrel from the TX200 description. I also looked at all 32 Air Arms rifles to see if they mentioned the Lothar Walther barrel. Most did. I updated those that didn’t mention the LW barrel, except for the CZ rifles & pistol. I’m unsure if they have LW barrels. I’ve emailed Air Arms about that.
The website should update with the added/corrected info within the next few hours.
As always, I appreciate it when you and others bring these issues to my attention.
Thanks,
Edith
Slinging Lead,
Just heard back from Air Arms, and the CZ rifles do not have Lothar Walther barrels. They’re checking on the CZ pistol to see if it has one.
Edith
Edith
Thank you. I didn’t think the CZ guns had Lothar Walther barrels, but now I know for sure.
You really go the extra mile.
Hi to the Gang here I bought a new TX 200 MK111 a few months back was wondering what type of finish my Walnut stock has is it a oil finish if so what type?
MWC,
Given that the TX 200 is a production gun and sells for under $1,000, I’m pretty sure the finish is a synthetic one that was sprayed on.
Real hand-rubbed oil finishes come on guns costing a lot more.
B.B.