Maybe I was too optimistic for my Taipan .177 Standard accuracy?
- Thread starter KyPop
- Start date
I like how Utah claims 3/4” groups are acceptable at 35 yards…lmao. Not hardly and they know that. Sounds as though you lost the barrel lottery. It happens.
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At this point you have done above and beyond your part to fix this issue. It’s now time for Utah to do their part. I would contact them again and explain the situation especially where you already own two other Taipan’s that are great shooters so you aren’t new to the platform. I would politely ask for a refund or replacement since you have already sent it to them once and it came back the same way. If they give you a refund, Talon Tunes shows to have some .177 standards in stock. My .177 standard came from there, below is the test card that came with the rifle. I can confirm personally shooting groups myself that are better than what you see on that card from 30 yards. I have
included a pic of my 30 yard challenge target that was shot with that Taipan. The worst shot on that entire 24 shot card was .182” from the center of the bullseye. I also laid a quarter on top of the target so you can see they are pretty small. I’ll admit that I have tweaked on that rifle some to get it shooting that good, but you can see from the Talon Tunes card that the factory rifle should pretty much be a laser. I hope you get this worked out, best of luck to you on this.
included a pic of my 30 yard challenge target that was shot with that Taipan. The worst shot on that entire 24 shot card was .182” from the center of the bullseye. I also laid a quarter on top of the target so you can see they are pretty small. I’ll admit that I have tweaked on that rifle some to get it shooting that good, but you can see from the Talon Tunes card that the factory rifle should pretty much be a laser. I hope you get this worked out, best of luck to you on this.
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I would personally try to get the dealer to rectify the situation before you pull it apart again. It’s got a 2 year warranty and that should cover accuracy issues. Do you by chance have the test sheet that Utah shot their group with or the one that Taipan includes from the factory ? I wouldn’t mind seeing what that looks like.
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Here's what they sent me shooting JSB .177 10 gr pellets at 890-897 at 35 yards indoors. I would have expected one 1/4" hole. After this picture is a picture of the last 2 groups I shot today with a slight wind but I waited for the wind to die down before each shot. Also, only the last few feet of my "range" are in the wind area. Bottom was first then on the top I quit after 7 shots. Admittedly, some of my groups were better than this at certain speeds but none were acceptable.
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Just so you guys know I'm not jerking you around, here's a pic of the last time I sighted in my Taipan .22 at 40 yards. I shot these right to left. These are 5 shots each in the exact same space I'm shooting the .177 and I never even checked the wind. I'll shoot the other rifles anytime unless it's unsafe to be outside! The target on the left had a stray pellet from a previous days shooting.
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When I was trying to get my cast pellets to work I bumped the velocity around a lot on my Avenger and it made no difference. I have also moved it on my other guns and saw no difference in pellet preference or group size. I know others report it makes a difference in their guns, but it doesn't seem to in mine.
I've had accuracy ruined more than once by a very minor obstruction in the shroud. Once it was a thread or two. Another time it was an O-ring that moved. Your issue seems too small for this but I would still shine a light in the chamber and look down the bore of the gun (unleaded of course).
There is an excellent thread on GTA by "nervous trigger" that I printed out and refer to when messing with my airguns barrels. The printout has "topic-130555.0.wap2" on it. It's worth looking for. He recommends polishing the leade and I think he said he traced an issue to that area in one gun. But he also discusses reading the pellet you pushed through and how to tell the normal choke to a burr in the crown (the choke is over an inch or so, the burr in the crown will be a very brief additional resistance). He also recommends looking for a burr in the barrel port. My P35-25 had one and I picked up 25 fps when I removed it. It's worth looking for this nervoustrigger post and reviewing it for ideas.
Last, I still think you need to test some H&N pellets. Your groups size is very consistent to what my guns do when they don't like the pellets I fed them. I also have had zero success getting any of my guns to like pellets they initially group poorly. They seem to like what they like. I'd pick a weight that will do what you want to with this gun, get it in multiple head sizes, adjust the regulator to get the speed 800 to 900 and shoot some groups. (I am not a fan of using the hammer spring to change velocity. On my P35-22 and P35-177 it would probably work but my Avenger, Prod and P35-25 accuracy is a function of hammer spring position. Best accuracy was found with the hammer spring within 1/2 turn of the point that gave maximum velocity for the regulator setting. So I use the regulator to vary velocity and adjust the hammer spring to give me maximum velocity, going up and down a little to see if accuracy improves.) I think your Taipan requires the air chamber to be opened to change the regulator like my P35s. If so, my first step is to pick a pellet that gives me 800-900 fps. If I get good accuracy and I like the penetration and other results I don't mess with the regulator.
I've had accuracy ruined more than once by a very minor obstruction in the shroud. Once it was a thread or two. Another time it was an O-ring that moved. Your issue seems too small for this but I would still shine a light in the chamber and look down the bore of the gun (unleaded of course).
There is an excellent thread on GTA by "nervous trigger" that I printed out and refer to when messing with my airguns barrels. The printout has "topic-130555.0.wap2" on it. It's worth looking for. He recommends polishing the leade and I think he said he traced an issue to that area in one gun. But he also discusses reading the pellet you pushed through and how to tell the normal choke to a burr in the crown (the choke is over an inch or so, the burr in the crown will be a very brief additional resistance). He also recommends looking for a burr in the barrel port. My P35-25 had one and I picked up 25 fps when I removed it. It's worth looking for this nervoustrigger post and reviewing it for ideas.
Last, I still think you need to test some H&N pellets. Your groups size is very consistent to what my guns do when they don't like the pellets I fed them. I also have had zero success getting any of my guns to like pellets they initially group poorly. They seem to like what they like. I'd pick a weight that will do what you want to with this gun, get it in multiple head sizes, adjust the regulator to get the speed 800 to 900 and shoot some groups. (I am not a fan of using the hammer spring to change velocity. On my P35-22 and P35-177 it would probably work but my Avenger, Prod and P35-25 accuracy is a function of hammer spring position. Best accuracy was found with the hammer spring within 1/2 turn of the point that gave maximum velocity for the regulator setting. So I use the regulator to vary velocity and adjust the hammer spring to give me maximum velocity, going up and down a little to see if accuracy improves.) I think your Taipan requires the air chamber to be opened to change the regulator like my P35s. If so, my first step is to pick a pellet that gives me 800-900 fps. If I get good accuracy and I like the penetration and other results I don't mess with the regulator.
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He's got a new rifle that doesn't shoot. Why go through all this? It would just be compromising his warranty claim.
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Anyone know what is covered under the warranty for the Taipan Veteran .177? I'm seriously considering calling UTAH AIRGUNS and asking for a replacement but I'm not sure that my version of accuracy counts for much.
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Good question. Not sure if a slightly larger group than you would like is covered under warranty. Like others said, just call them. Then you will know how to proceed from there.
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I'm calling them today to ask for a new barrel or trade out the entire rifle under warranty.
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I wouls send it back have them replace the gun talon tunes wouldnt let that fly i bet. if i get to feelng up to it ill go out shoot a video of 50 yards groups
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OK. I called UTAH AIRGUNS this afternoon and talked to Travis, then Josh I think, then he spoke to someone else about the issue. They were reluctant at first to agree with my assessment that the grouping ability of my Taipan .177 was subpar. They said that the grouping that they got when they were examining the rifle in their indoor range was "acceptable". After some negotiation, they offered me the option to return the rifle for a refund or exchange it for a different one. I chose refund because I couldn't be sure that they hadn't been shipped a batch of rifles with subpar barrels and I would have just ended up with another one.
Once this transaction has been completed, I will still be looking for what I initially wanted - a .177 caliber rifle that would allow me shoot 8.4 or 10.34 pellets at approximately 850-900 fps with very good accuracy at 40 yards. Any suggestions? I'm open to anything at this point but my preference would still be a Taipan.
Once this transaction has been completed, I will still be looking for what I initially wanted - a .177 caliber rifle that would allow me shoot 8.4 or 10.34 pellets at approximately 850-900 fps with very good accuracy at 40 yards. Any suggestions? I'm open to anything at this point but my preference would still be a Taipan.
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The Taipan is generally excellent, nothing wrong with trying another.
My current .177 is a Weihrauch HW100 laminate carbine, and I really like it. Not a bullpup, so it's easier to shoot than the Veteran. The trigger is excellent, a true two-stage, so in some respects favorable over the Taipan. It's a small cylinder, and limited to a 200 bar fill, so shot count will be less than the Veteran. I have mine tuned down to sub-12 fpe, so the shot count is excellent, 70+. If the HW100 is tuned to your specs, I expect you would see a shot count of maybe 40.
I own both the Weihrauch and Taipan, and will keep both. The HW100 is easier for me to shoot well. Both are heavy, but the HW100 would be my preference if I were walking with either one. For me, the Veteran is just a bit too clunky for a woods rifle.
My current .177 is a Weihrauch HW100 laminate carbine, and I really like it. Not a bullpup, so it's easier to shoot than the Veteran. The trigger is excellent, a true two-stage, so in some respects favorable over the Taipan. It's a small cylinder, and limited to a 200 bar fill, so shot count will be less than the Veteran. I have mine tuned down to sub-12 fpe, so the shot count is excellent, 70+. If the HW100 is tuned to your specs, I expect you would see a shot count of maybe 40.
I own both the Weihrauch and Taipan, and will keep both. The HW100 is easier for me to shoot well. Both are heavy, but the HW100 would be my preference if I were walking with either one. For me, the Veteran is just a bit too clunky for a woods rifle.
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