FX FX Impact M3 expectations

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Kalavi

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Jul 8, 2024
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Hi guys, wanted to share my journey with my FX Impact m3. I bought it at the end of last summer, it is a 177 with a 600 barrel running a stock tune. I bought it mainly to plink at 50-200m, as well as pest control on my farm. I'm shooting JBS diabo match exact heavies, 10.34gr as I have a bunch of packs sitting around. I do plan on tuning it but Id like to understand and see what the stock tune is capable of first.


My first time shooting it was a little bit of a let down, 1.5-2.5" groups at 50 yards, just under 1" at 30 yards. I called the dealer and they said it will take acouple hundred rounds to settle in. I did a bit more shoot, mostly pest control and I feel its more than accurate for hunting. I didn't shot any more paper last year, I've got a 6.5cd that gets most my attention when it comes to precision work. Anyways, I figured with the nice weather I'd spend some time with the impact, and if i can get it shooting nicely Ill invest in a couple other barrel/liners. It would be cool to shoot 22 and 30 cal slugs.

I filled it last night to 220 bar last night, by the morning it was at 195 tank pressure, but the 1st reg ad crept up to 170 (from a stock 150). I noticed the second had crept up to 95 from I believe 85 stock.

Today we had zero wind so I figured it would be a good day to get out for some shooitng. The first 3 shots where between 989 and 978, then it settle around 962 to 970 with he odd shot between 949 and 953. First couple groups where around 2" at 50m shooting from a bench with front and rear bags. Eventually things settled and I shot 10, 5 shot groups between 1.5" to 5/8". I also noticed after a couple of shot the 1st reg also reset to 155.

My 22 produces 1/4" or tighter at 50m so I am confident this is not user error (I am a competent shooter with a military background).




Is this normal?
I was expecting groups under 1/2" at 50m without much difficulty, are my expectations out of unrealistic?
Would this be regulator creep and is this covered under my warranty?
Any suggestion?
Also, when I go to tune it, should I start with the valve adjuster fully open or keep it where it is?


Thanks, K
 
Not sure about 177 as I don’t shoot it but you will need quite calm conditions at 50m with .177. I will say the “need to shoot the gun in for awhile “ is the biggest crock of 💩 excuse for poor accuracy ever. However, typical seller leave me alone response. Like others have said I would slow them down and then also experiment with other pellets as well.
 
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Kalavi said:
Hi guys, wanted to share my journey with my FX Impact m3. I bought it at the end of last summer, it is a 177 with a 600 barrel running a stock tune. I bought it mainly to plink at 50-200m, as well as pest control on my farm. I'm shooting JBS diabo match exact heavies, 10.34gr as I have a bunch of packs sitting around. I do plan on tuning it but Id like to understand and see what the stock tune is capable of first.


My first time shooting it was a little bit of a let down, 1.5-2.5" groups at 50 yards, just under 1" at 30 yards. I called the dealer and they said it will take acouple hundred rounds to settle in. I did a bit more shoot, mostly pest control and I feel its more than accurate for hunting. I didn't shot any more paper last year, I've got a 6.5cd that gets most my attention when it comes to precision work. Anyways, I figured with the nice weather I'd spend some time with the impact, and if i can get it shooting nicely Ill invest in a couple other barrel/liners. It would be cool to shoot 22 and 30 cal slugs.

I filled it last night to 220 bar last night, by the morning it was at 195 tank pressure, but the 1st reg ad crept up to 170 (from a stock 150). I noticed the second had crept up to 95 from I believe 85 stock.

Today we had zero wind so I figured it would be a good day to get out for some shooitng. The first 3 shots where between 989 and 978, then it settle around 962 to 970 with he odd shot between 949 and 953. First couple groups where around 2" at 50m shooting from a bench with front and rear bags. Eventually things settled and I shot 10, 5 shot groups between 1.5" to 5/8". I also noticed after a couple of shot the 1st reg also reset to 155.

My 22 produces 1/4" or tighter at 50m so I am confident this is not user error (I am a competent shooter with a military background).




Is this normal?
I was expecting groups under 1/2" at 50m without much difficulty, are my expectations out of unrealistic?
Would this be regulator creep and is this covered under my warranty?
Any suggestion?
Also, when I go to tune it, should I start with the valve adjuster fully open or keep it where it is?


Thanks, K
Click to expand...
I spent a month each tuning a 0.177 cal M3 and a 0.30 caliber M3. Each I purchased used and were so claimed by the previous owners to be TUNED to a specific brand and weight of pellet.

The .177 was so hot it would throw pellets side ways through a target at 20 yards. The 30 came tuned for crap pellets.

So what follows are the basics I learned:

1. Sort the pellets by weight - 1 less variable
2. The barrel twist rate is a constant and very critical to the tune - 1:16 will spin a pellet at 36,000 RPM at 800 ft/sec. 1:12 is 48,000 RPM at 800 ft/sec. Determine your twist rate and review @Ballisticboy 's posts concerning pellet spin rate/speed.
3. Match your pellet to the recommended speed
4. Set the air valve to factory default setting, see manual
5. Make SURE rifle is NOT cocked, and set the hammer spring Macro and Micro adjusters to the " CIRCLES"
4. Slowly charge the bottle to 220 bar and let the rifle sit for 10 minutes, allowing bottle temp and regulator pressures to stabilize.
5. Chronograph 10 shots with 1 minute wait between each shot
6. If the average speed is above 1000 fps, lower plenum pressure
7. If the average speed for the 10 shots is below 700 fps, raise plenum pressure.
NOTE: I have no data on the min/max differential pressure allowed between regulators
8. Once the plenum pressure is good as indicated by pellet speed, you can use the hammer spring macro and micro adjusts to set your final speed and accuracy.
9. If the hammer spring adjustments are close to minimum, start closing the air valve and increasing the hammer adjustments, if the air valve is halfway closed and you still do not have your desired speed: open the air valve back to the default setting and raise plenum pressure
10. The goal is to get the desired speed and accuracy with the air valve more than half open and the hammer adjustments both close to the circles.
 
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Before you go into a full starting from scratch tuning session, I would do this. Reduce your hammer strike using the big wheel. Turn the wheel until your speed is 920fps. Then start shooting groups. Turn the wheel down another number and shoot a group. Hopefully you have enough left on the wheel to test down under 900fps. If you see improvements once you get the pellets out of warp drive, now you know you need to tune the gun properly to hit lets say 890fps. But that’s a different subject that’s been covered on this forum 800 times.

Impacts are infinitely adjustable guns. In circumstances like this, you can cheat a little to see if there is a direction you need to pursue. Then you go back and spend the time to hit that number right. There is no sense doing full blown perfect tunes at 10 descending reg settings if your gun is never going to shoot that projectile excellent.
 
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Vetmx said:
Oh, and who sold you a .177 pellet shooting M3 to shoot 200m? And why was it set at 970fps? That gun is never going to “settle in” to its prime with those blistering speeds. These are pellet guns, not 17HMR’s.
Click to expand...
i tried shooting at 200m with slugs when i had my 700mm .177 impact. it was a 30cmx30cm wood . i managed to hit twice in 38 rounds.:)
 
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Vetmx said:
Before you go into a full starting from scratch tuning session, I would do this. Reduce your hammer strike using the big wheel. Turn the wheel until your speed is 920fps. Then start shooting groups. Turn the wheel down another number and shoot a group. Hopefully you have enough left on the wheel to test down under 900fps. If you see improvements once you get the pellets out of warp drive, now you know you need to tune the gun properly to hit lets say 890fps. But that’s a different subject that’s been covered on this forum 800 times.

Impacts are infinitely adjustable guns. In circumstances like this, you can cheat a little to see if there is a direction you need to pursue. Then you go back and spend the time to hit that number right. There is no sense doing full blown perfect tunes at 10 descending reg settings if your gun is never going to shoot that projectile excellent.
Click to expand...
I fully agree with you. I would add - check the recommended plenum pressure for your caliber as delineated in the manual. If the actual plenum pressure is within that range delineated - then your method of tuning would be by far the quickest.
 
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I just bought 2 impacts M3 700mm in .22 cal, and I am struggling getting good results shooting jsb ko 216. One was shooting 1 meter group at 50 meters, I guess something is wrong with the liner the other was not grouping so well 5 cm group at 50m. My previous impact mk2 was shout under 1 Moa group at 100 meters using same slugs !!! Anyone had this issue ?
 
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brams said:
I just bought 2 impacts M3 700mm in .22 cal, and I am struggling getting good results shooting jsb ko 216. One was shooting 1 meter group at 50 meters, I guess something is wrong with the liner the other was not grouping so well 5 cm group at 50m. My previous impact mk2 was shout under 1 Moa group at 100 meters using same slugs !!! Anyone had this issue ?
Click to expand...
.218 is the diameter that works for most in FX liners. Try .218 H&N heavies or the new H&N long range slug if its available.
 
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