Questions on the air arms tx200 mk3

[TiredRooster]

Another complaint about the TX200 is the ratchet sound of the bear trap safety mechanism. To get rid of it is also very simple. In my case, I just placed a small piece of weed eater line as a shim to keep the bear trap lever always open. This eliminates the ratchet sound and I no longer have to press the lever every time I have to bring the cocking lever back to its closed position. Of course, I'd always have to hold the lever when cocked when inserting a pellet, which is what any springer shooter should do anyway as a safety precaution.

Apart from any other minor niggles, I think the TX200 is as accurate as any PCP. Don't let any opinions, reviews, or comments fool you into thinking that it---or any springer in general---isn't. Anyone saying that a springer cannot rival the accuracy found on the best PCPs hasn't yet "truly and fully" mastered how to shoot it. Examples of really good springer shooters are the two guys of VerminHuntersTV (on YouTube); both Si Pittaway and his partner Davy are very skilled springer shooters and show that springers are just as accurate as PCPs. In my case, I practice shooting the very tips of palm leaves (about 2 - 3 millimeters in size) at 46 yards away with my TX ... and my PCPs also.

Cheers!

The only advantage of a PCP is when shooting at distance, their smooth firing behavior gives them a real advantage beyond 40 plus yards. The springer gives much more satifaction when you develope the ability to shoot them well!

I'm going to respectfully disagree with the statement above. A springer like a TX200 is as accurate as a PCP even beyond 40 yards, if you meant in terms of accuracy between them. In all the very many years of learning to shoot the TX200, I'll say that the journey to reaching a level of shooting precision with and mastery of it is the same as the journey that an athlete, musician, craftsman, etc. goes on to master his/her sport, craft, profession, trade, etc, for example. Constant training and practice are the key---like with anything else worth pursuing to be great at. It really is a fact that if you can shoot a springer accurately you can shoot anything the same.

Cheers!

I would agree with both points I think. I have no doubt that a quality springer....TX200 or HW97K, can be shot as accurately as a PCP. My HW97 is every bit as accurate as my PCP is. Now, I have learned how to massage the springer and improve upon its shot cycle and trigger to a point where the rifle is much smoother than in its factory state, out of the box. But nevertheless, I can shoot the 97 that accurately.....with consistency. So the rifle is capable. But to spinj's point......it has taken an awful lot of shooting and practicing under many different conditions to get to the point that I really no longer notice it as a springer. In other words, all the peculiarities that revolve around shooting a springer, became almost unnoticeable so to speak. I just learned through exercise of use to shoot it well. I feel like I'm rambling, but I hope the point that I'm trying to make is not lost. I most definitely agree that one that can shoot a springer very well can with ease also shoot a PCP well.........but, one that shoots a PCP well will most likely not be able to shoot a springer well. I guess we all agree really....

 

[spinj]

Spinj....what you say is true, however the built in recoil of the TX works aganst us. Now if we compared a 12 fpe PCP to a 12. fpe TX it might ve more equal but to ve fair most pcp rifles are set to well over 12 fpe. I have been shooting a TX200 since early 90's when the first factory left hand model came into World Class air guns and Jerry sold that rifle to me. My son had one of the first SR models that came into this country. I made a business for setting up TX rifles. In theroy the TX should be the same to shoot, but recoil, no matter how little, still creates a disadvantage to shooting a springer. I still prefer a springer over a PCP, guess I like the challenge. From my years of shooting I can say this with confidence....a good spring gun shooter can shoot a pcp gun very well, however, not all pcp shooters can shoot a spring gun that well. That in itself shows that springers take more skill and effort to shoot well all due to that recoil factor. Recoil is less a factor in firearms because it takes place after the bullit leaves the barrel, but in a springer, the recoil is caused from the piston movement before the pellet leaves the barrel. No matter how much training and expertise you achieve the recoil factor will always be a deterent from shooting quite as accurately as a non recoiling pcp and the further the range the more critical the slight movement becomes. Oh well, at least we both agree shooting the TX is an awesome thing to do !!!!

Respectfully, recoil is not the issue---perfect technique is key (in that one can even execute it with his/her eyes closed). 

Not my video, but even the Mrs. in the video below (credit to Airgun Detectives) can shoot! And look at the rifle recoil, even at low velocities: 









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1CoqvE-dZA

 

[bdzjlz]

I have been watching all of the great posts from the sidelines. Most have really valid points. As previously mentioned here and in other posts on this forum, I am fortunate to own all of the springers discussed, in .177, .20, and .22, plus Diana 48s and 56s, Beeman R9s, Weihrauch HW80s, 95s, and 98s, and all have been meticulously tuned. And yes, my AA TX200s, ProSports, and 97s shoot very accurately and I believe I handle my springers better than most.


Having said that, if I my goal or need is to shoot really tight (dime size) groups consistently at 50 yards and beyond there is absolutely no substitute for the pcp. Give me one of my RAWs, AA 410 or 510, or RedWolf HP rifles and the springers just can’t stand up if tight groups and/or killing power at 50 yards plus are the criteria.


I probably shoot 100 shots or more with springers to every pcp shot taken, because they are so much fun. But let’s not kid ourselves relative to the super accurate efficiency of the pcps 

 

[1BadDart]

I don't own a PCP and have never fired one. I do own and shoot a (SSP) FWB 601 and 300S's, all are shot in 10M indoor stuff in the winter. The 300's are every bit as accurate as the 601, but it takes more work (for me) shoot the 300's as well. 

 

[L4z4r0s]

Hey there everyone!!! Merry Christmas!!! While on reddit, someone claimed that the tx200 has looser tolerances when compared to the hw97k... 



Is that true/frequent in any way? If so, in what way are the tolerances looser? To me it doesn't seem that anything can be loose on a tx200 (except maybe for the case of a gun that didn't pass proper quality control procedures).

 

[AirShot]

Some folks claim the world will end in less than two weeks, then there are folks that have been saying that for many years!!! Most Ford guys have nothing good to say about Chevys....so does that make Chevys bad?????

No matter what make or mfgr a bad one gets thru every now and then but it is not the norm!!!!

Chicken little says the sky is falling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bdzjlz]

As previously stated, I own both. They are both a joy to own. Don’t over think it.

 

[dasman]

Hey there everyone!!! Merry Christmas!!! While on reddit, someone claimed that the tx200 has looser tolerances when compared to the hw97k... 



Is that true/frequent in any way? If so, in what way are the tolerances looser? To me it doesn't seem that anything can be loose on a tx200 (except maybe for the case of a gun that didn't pass proper quality control procedures).

Just buy one and you tell us. Wow!

 

[sps3172]

I read somewhere on Gateway to airguns that the front tab where the stock is screwed into the action might break.. the person reporting this said that the original stock tab was made out of a soft alloy of some sort...

Somewhere I saw an aftermarket version of this part......of course I can't find it again. Anyone else?

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

If you are debating between the 97 and 200 also keep in mind the money difference. It appears to me that you like the (as we all do) the gorgeous Walnut stock and blued steel of the the 200. When you say you are saving up for one then you could also do it in stages with the 97. Get the 97 in a composite stock ($400 at Krale) for about half the 200. That stock will be one for the woods. Then save and get a CSLTD custom Walnut stock for that target show piece. You get two stocks, build over time, put all the break in and wear and tear on the composite stock and when then gun is ready deck it out with a custom stock. You’ll have close to the same money ( maybe a bit more in the 97 but have two stocks) in either choice.

 

[L4z4r0s]

If you are debating between the 97 and 200 also keep in mind the money difference. It appears to me that you like the (as we all do) the gorgeous Walnut stock and blued steel of the the 200. When you say you are saving up for one then you could also do it in stages with the 97. Get the 97 in a composite stock ($400 at Krale) for about half the 200. That stock will be one for the woods. Then save and get a CSLTD custom Walnut stock for that target show piece. You get two stocks, build over time, put all the break in and wear and tear on the composite stock and when then gun is ready deck it out with a custom stock. You’ll have close to the same money ( maybe a bit more in the 97 but have two stocks) in either choice.

Can't argue with that!!! After reading on both of these rifles, I think I lean more on weihrauch's side. Maybe a 97k with the new beechwood stock and add a custom stock sometime later on. Or a 77k which also includes iron sights straight out of the box (getting a scope around here is quite a hustle as it requires a special license). Damn!! Your rifles are gorgeous!!!

 

[erock]

I also own the TX200, and have never encountered ANY of the issues that you mention. Likely to be a very, very small percentage of owners finding any issues. They are a piece of art, both in design and function.

 

[Onailer]

Hey all lurked for a long time but never engaged.

I just unboxed a walnut TX200 HC today and with less than 10 shots I'm having a cocking problem along with the safety issue, on almost every load. I cock the gun and get the 3 clicks and continue until I can't pull anymore. Load a pellet and try to disengage the bear trap with the side button. The cocking lever will still be under tension and I have to forcibly pull the lever down again to get it to engage properly. The safety doesn't engage half the time and I have a live rifle immediately. Very disheartened as I spent 3 months or so researching and debating on getting an HW97k or the TX. 

I guess my questions for you folks: Should I just send it back to Pyramid Air as defective and get it replaced, try to fix it with SpinJ's solution of taking the gun apart to modify the cocking lever, or send it back and exchange it for an HW97k? It feels bad to have to take a $900 gun apart the day it comes out the box to fix a problem. If I do exchange for another TX how do I know it won't eventually have the same cocking/safety problem down the road.

This whole purchase has gone awry as I also got the wrong height (med) scope mount for my 50mm Hawke Airmax.

Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bdzjlz]

Don't be disheartened. This falls under the category @#$%^ happens. 

I own this exact rifle, along with HW97s and many other springers. This rifle will serve you well. I tuned mine with a Vortek kit and it is one of the smoothest, most accurate springers in my vault. So don't give up.

Pyramid Air will give you tremendous service. Give them a call and work it out. In the end you will likely be very satisfied and years from now look back on what a great purchase you made.

As far as the mounts go, purchase a set of Sports Match vertically adjustable high mounts (AP61) with the stop pin. You can then dial your vertical adjustments to dead center and use your mounts to adjust the scope, saving all of the click adjustments for different pellet weight adjustments, without running out of adjustment room. Works really slick.

If you need any other help, you can feel free to private message me.



DZ

 

[tjmac]

Absolutely get it replaced.

Tim

 

[Onailer]

Yeah the right answer is of course to get it replaced. I'm going to give Pyramid Air a call tomorrow to set up a return, hopefully they will cover shipping since its basically defective.

As far as the mounts go I bought the Sportsmatch 1-Pc medium mount. Hopefully PA will let me exchange it for the variable mount you speak of.

 

[Rospringer]

 Sometimes they will have too much preload By the spring guide. Take out 1 or 2 washers that “should”rectify the issue. I Have owned over five of them and every time I try to do more power with shims the safety issue started , other than that they work perfectly fine. Have fun and shoot safe

 

[joeayv]

Well I just bought a tx200 and a pro sport. They have been delivered to my house. I’ll be back from vacation tomorrow. If there is anything wrong with either one I will report it. 

 

[AirShot]

I cant believe these dealers dont test each rifle before shipping it out. When I was in business, I always test fired each rifle and made sure it functioned correctly before shipping. There were a few custoners that didnt want it touched before shipping, and that was fine but then return shipping was on them if there was a problem. No excuse for a springer that doesnt function out of the box. Now will there be manufacturing issues ? Yes of course, we are humans and mistakes will happen, but a new springer should be tested before shipped to a customer. If there is an issue, the dealer can get it corrected or solved with the factory before it gets into a customers hands.

 

[gbmarcht]

I have a TX200 MK III and have not had any issues. The safety not engaging is most likely not getting the gun cocked completely. The rubber buffer is a minor issue and can be easily resolved with care or rubber o-rings. I did have some spring vibration as most do with the original spring, so I installed a Vortek tune kit as well. The Vortek kit eliminated the vibration and I believe made the gun quieter and a terrific shooter. I love mine but would agree the HW97K is a very good competitor, but it too will experience some of the same issues regarding the spring.

I might also add it is one of the easiest if not the easiest air rifle to work on.

Not just ready to make a change but just wondering; living in USA, I wouldn't want a kit w/ 12 ft. lb. limitation like in UK. Are full power Vortek Kits available?