AEA Challenger pro problem

[gxs]

Hey guys. I have an odd problem which I have never experienced on any of my rifles and I need some help. If anyone had the same problem or if they now what it could be please chime in.

Backstory:
A friend purchased his first PCP (AEA Challenger Pro .22) and he wanted to make a nice photo of it. He put it on a fireplace mantle and of course the gun fell on the floor.
The damage he did (or at least that I can see) is that the barrel is bent downwards. No big deal as I've printed him a barrel band to center the barrel.
Everything else seems fine except the power. When the gun first came the reg was set to 90. His rifle is the new model with an external adjustable regulator. As the manual still shows the old rifle he didn't want to tinker and brought the gun to me to fix and check. Well the gun spews bullets. They reach maybe 4fpe on a good day with 300fps. So something is wrong.

What I did:
I tested the gun with my chrono (yes it does work properly) and it's true. You can see the slow ass bullet when it gets shot and the gun is quiet. No bark as some people mentioned.
I turned the reg from 90 to 130 and all the way up to 150 and there are minor changes to speeds (maybe 50fps). I changed the springs and the result is the same. So it doesn't matter if I use the hard (orange-ish) or soft (black) spring. Transfer port is on max by the way but I have tested it on all settings with same result.

Then I tore the gun apart and checked everything and I do mean everything (well I didn't open the reg as the reg gauge shows the proper number based on two different gauges so the plenum should have the proper amount of air). I even swapped out the gauges in case they got damaged. I can't find anything wrong with it.
The only thing I did find out is that the gun is so weak I can plug the barrel and the air won't come out of it and it will blast backwards that's how weak the gun is. I wouldn't do that on any of my rifles but there's clearly something I'm missing.

I have shot a few blanks to see if the air is leaking somewhere else but it's not. At least I can't find it. Also all the orings are in perfect condition (duh since the doofus broke a day old gun).

So if anyone has some insight please help.

Thanks and have a great day.

 

[silvershooter589]

That sucks. I would send it back to Bin (hopefully you bought it from BinTac) and let him charge you a few bucks to fix it.

I could speculate as to what might have got messed up... but whoever you bought it from determines your course of action. I always tell people buy AEA from BinTac because they take care of anything and everything for you.

I have a Challenger Pro .30 and it's one gun I hope to never drop on a hard surface. Very nice powerful and accurate rifle but if it falls I know it's gonna land hard. Heavy gun and all metal.

 

[gxs]

That sucks. I would send it back to Bin (hopefully you bought it from BinTac) and let him charge you a few bucks to fix it.

Who you bought it from determines your course of action. I always tell people buy AEA from BinTac because they take care of anything and everything for you.

He is from Europe so Wolfiek Spain. I don't know why I'm fixing (probably because of the postage costs) but here I go. I do have experience with airguns but this is a new one.

Edit: Damn muppet. I meant we are from Europe. I counted myself out.

 

[silvershooter589]

I see, Slovenia! We had a lovely First Lady from Slovenia until recent shenanigans. I assume all people from your country are very good looking and intelligent.

Anyway, I wish you luck. Maybe someone here will know more than me and offer you a solution.

 

[gxs]

I assume all people from your country are very good looking and intelligent.

Heck no! Didn't you read that the dumbass put a PCP rifle on an unsecured mantle and dropped it. That's the opposite spectrum of intelligent and then some. Also thanks for the help.

 

[Scotty1]

Sounds like the transfer port is out of alignment perhaps?

 

[cosmic]

+1 on that...^

 

[Stretch]

Sounds like the transfer port is out of alignment perhaps?

Nope, not likely. The AEA transfer port design isn't like what you're thinking of. It has a wide groove around the outside of the barrel and several holes around the circumference. This is how they are able to move so high a volume of air without having to have a huge transfer port in the barrel. And they are able to thread the barrel into the receiver instead of using set screws. It's rather clever IMO, I'm surprised more manufacturers don't employ the same into their designs.

I would first confirm that the barrel is bent. Remove the shroud, lock nut on the barrel and then unthread the barrel from the receiver. Roll the barrel on a flat table. If it rolls smoothly it isn't bent.

With the regulator at 150 bar your pellets / slugs should be zipping out pretty fast. I sold my .22 Challenger Pro a while ago but if I recall correctly, I was getting 24 grain slugs going at 950 fps with about that same regulator setting.

My best guess is that one of these is your problem:

- the transfer port is blocked somehow (doesn't seem likely but is worth checking) or the breech o-ring is missing/damaged. Put a piece of tissue by the pellet probe, load and shoot a round. If the tissue flaps like a flag, that's probably the problem.

- there's something broken, bent in the cocking / hammer system so that the hammer isn't hitting the valve pin as hard as it should be.

Basically, one of two things are happening: either the hammer is striking correctly and most of the air isn't reaching the pellet or the hammer isn't striking correctly and isn't sending as much air to the pellet as it should be.

Bin Tac is the guy you want to talk to about repair / replacement parts. He came through for me when nobody else would.

 

[gxs]

I would first confirm that the barrel is bent. Remove the shroud, lock nut on the barrel and then unthread the barrel from the receiver. Roll the barrel on a flat table. If it rolls smoothly it isn't bent.

My best guess is that one of these is your problem:

- the transfer port is blocked somehow (doesn't seem likely but is worth checking) or the breech o-ring is missing/damaged. Put a piece of tissue by the pellet probe, load and shoot a round. If the tissue flaps like a flag, that's probably the problem.

- there's something broken, bent in the cocking / hammer system so that the hammer isn't hitting the valve pin as hard as it should be.

Basically, one of two things are happening: either the hammer is striking correctly and most of the air isn't reaching the pellet or the hammer isn't striking correctly and isn't sending as much air to the pellet as it should be.

The barrel is bent slightly downwards.

I have stripped the gun and it's not the transfer port. Neither is the cocking hammer or the pin.

I will have to check the inner oring in the barrel as I highly suspect that the inside oring is busted. Although the gun is new and it should work. When closing the cocking handle you can't even feel the oring setting in place. As said in my first post I did the paper test. I can plug the barrel and I can feel the air going the back way but shooting the gun doesn't cause any noticeable problems. Also the gun is really quiet. Shouldn't it bark more if transferring the proper amount of air? I don't know about the loudness as it's not my gun and this is the first AEA I'm working on.

 

[Stretch]

@gxs - I'm not trying to argue with you or doubt what you've done, but I've owned and worked on 4 Challenger Pros (plus a Varmint and fixed a HP Carbine for a friend) so know what I'm talking about. So this will be my last post on the topic:

What I see in your first photo is barrel droop. That was common with all the AEA rifles I've owned and worked on. You won't know if the barrel is actually bent until you remove it and do the roll test as I described before.

A missing breach o-ring would cause the extreme loss of power you're experiencing. A bent barrel would not.

 

[gxs]

A missing breach o-ring would cause the extreme loss of power you're experiencing. A bent barrel would not.

I never said that the barrel is the one that is faulty (I just said that it's one of the things that was faulty due to the drop). I suspect an oring I'm missing somewhere and I do agree that it could be the one in the barrel itself.
Also I did the roll test before posting on all items including the barrel, sliding hammer pin and the valve pin.

But thanks for the help and confirming that the severe loss could be because of the inner seal. I'll try to change it later today and we'll see if it improves. It's not my gun so if this doesn't work hell just have to deal with a service center to fix it.

Cheers

 

[gxs]

Here is my final report about this issue. He will be sending the gun back.
As far as I can see there are no faults. The hammer works and the valve is ok and opens. The barrel had all the orings replaced and I got 50 more FPS from it. Which takes her to 350fps on 150BAR reg with the heavy spring. Something is wrong so the shop will take a look at it and/or replace it under warranty.

 

[cwooten5]

Nope, not likely. The AEA transfer port design isn't like what you're thinking of. It has a wide groove around the outside of the barrel and several holes around the circumference. This is how they are able to move so high a volume of air without having to have a huge transfer port in the barrel. And they are able to thread the barrel into the receiver instead of using set screws. It's rather clever IMO, I'm surprised more manufacturers don't employ the same into their designs.

I would first confirm that the barrel is bent. Remove the shroud, lock nut on the barrel and then unthread the barrel from the receiver. Roll the barrel on a flat table. If it rolls smoothly it isn't bent.

With the regulator at 150 bar your pellets / slugs should be zipping out pretty fast. I sold my .22 Challenger Pro a while ago but if I recall correctly, I was getting 24 grain slugs going at 950 fps with about that same regulator setting.

My best guess is that one of these is your problem:

- the transfer port is blocked somehow (doesn't seem likely but is worth checking) or the breech o-ring is missing/damaged. Put a piece of tissue by the pellet probe, load and shoot a round. If the tissue flaps like a flag, that's probably the problem.

- there's something broken, bent in the cocking / hammer system so that the hammer isn't hitting the valve pin as hard as it should be.

Basically, one of two things are happening: either the hammer is striking correctly and most of the air isn't reaching the pellet or the hammer isn't striking correctly and isn't sending as much air to the pellet as it should be.

Bin Tac is the guy you want to talk to about repair / replacement parts. He came through for me when nobody else would.

Hey Stretch!
You do seem to be in the know. I replaced my breech O-Ring last night with a 90 durometer. I haven’t tested it yet, but I noticed it was a tad small. Do you know the breech O-Ring size for the Challenger pro in .25 caliber, man?
Thank you so much in advance!