DJP
13-11-2009, 08:41 AM
Recently I had the opportunity to purchase an SMK XS20 at an advantageous price. In truth it was another impulse buy. Previously I've owned plenty of quality airguns so I was curious to see how the Chinese models stacked up.
First impressions were good. The rifle is nicely made and the build quality isn’t that far short of the real thing. Just a few bits give the game away: The inletting on the stock around the breech pivot screws showed some tool marks and the lacquer (or whatever the finish is) wasn’t very evenly applied – although neither is a huge issue.
The metal components were very nicely machined although the blueing appeared slightly thin (but that could just be my impression).
Cocking the rifle was a different story with plenty of groans and graunches and the firing cycle was twangy as hell.
So a quick strip down was in order. As an aside, I found that there was very little preload on the spring and I was able to strip and reassemble the rifle using just hand pressure.
Once inside, I found that the internals were a mixed bag. The spring looked good with properly finished ends but the guide was a loose fit. The inside of the cylinder was well finished but the piston itself was a bit rough with visible machining marks. On the plus side, it was fitted with a liner as per the V Mach kits - a nice touch.
Overall, the internals were no worse than many far more expensive guns. I’ve seen a plenty of HWs with poorly finished springs and the last Prosport I owned had a very loose fitting spring guide. The SMK was certainly no worse in these respects. However, the main issue was that the internals had been lubed with a light oil. So it was time to polish off the rough spots and reassemble everything with proper grease.
Much better! Dead easy to cock, a smooth firing cycle and 11 fpe with AAF. To be honest. I must admit that I was dubious as to whether the Chinese barrel would be any good. Certainly, a visual inspection showed the rifling to be neatly cut and the crown appeared properly done. But the proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating.
Once I’d reacquainted myself with the technique of shooting a lightweight springer, I was pleased to find that it turned in some very decent groups. Half-inch groups at 25 yards were easy and with a bit of practice I could get a five shot group that could be covered by a 5p piece. Indeed, it wasn’t unusual to get 2 or 3 pellets through the same, increasingly ragged hole.
It was looking good, but then after about a hundred shots the rifle started to lose power. A quick strip down revealed a split piston seal. And this highlighted another problem: Spares (or lack thereof). SMK won’t supply spares so I tried several local RFDs who were also totally uninterested in supplying the parts. In the end I ordered the relevant bits from Jim Maccari in the States but then these failed to arrive. It felt like a conspiracy! Eventually, I found that a TX200 piston seal was the same (indeed it was a better fit than the original) and it was back to happy days.
With the AA seal in place the XS20 was stunningly consistent - with a velocity spread of just 6 fps over 10 shots. Excellent stuff.
All the more galling then, when after another few hundred shots, it totally refused to group . Previously this gun was a tack driver – now it was more like a shotgun. I tried all the usual stuff: Different pellets, different scopes and different shooters. The verdict? It don’t group (well not anymore).
And we couldn’t figure out why. We cleaned the barrel, we tightened the breach jaws. There was no damage or obvious cause for the problem and over the chrono it showed excellent consistency.
Yet it still wouldn’t group. I was pulling my hair out big time! After all, this gun would print neat cloverleafs at 25 yards out of the box and now, after only a few hundred pellets, it wouldn’t do better than 2 inch groups at the same distance.
So I did a web search and found mention of a similar problem. http://anotherairgunblog.blogspot...rricks-xiscobam-b26-2-part-6.html. It seems in that case that the barrel latch pin was a loose fit in it’s bore causing the barrel to latch in a slightly different position each time, causing shots to go all over the show – pretty much what was happening to mine.
That author’s solution was to machine a replacement latch pin. Mine was to return the rifle to the shop.
A sorry saga, really. The XS20 was a nice rifle and, in the main, well built. It promised much and almost delivered, but problems with spares and niggling quality control issues really spoil the party. In the end, I'd had enough.
A shame really because the Chinese have nearly got it right, and I wish them well in the future, but one thing’s for sure: I won’t touch another Chinese gun ever again.
Good Luck if you do!
First impressions were good. The rifle is nicely made and the build quality isn’t that far short of the real thing. Just a few bits give the game away: The inletting on the stock around the breech pivot screws showed some tool marks and the lacquer (or whatever the finish is) wasn’t very evenly applied – although neither is a huge issue.
The metal components were very nicely machined although the blueing appeared slightly thin (but that could just be my impression).
Cocking the rifle was a different story with plenty of groans and graunches and the firing cycle was twangy as hell.
So a quick strip down was in order. As an aside, I found that there was very little preload on the spring and I was able to strip and reassemble the rifle using just hand pressure.
Once inside, I found that the internals were a mixed bag. The spring looked good with properly finished ends but the guide was a loose fit. The inside of the cylinder was well finished but the piston itself was a bit rough with visible machining marks. On the plus side, it was fitted with a liner as per the V Mach kits - a nice touch.
Overall, the internals were no worse than many far more expensive guns. I’ve seen a plenty of HWs with poorly finished springs and the last Prosport I owned had a very loose fitting spring guide. The SMK was certainly no worse in these respects. However, the main issue was that the internals had been lubed with a light oil. So it was time to polish off the rough spots and reassemble everything with proper grease.
Much better! Dead easy to cock, a smooth firing cycle and 11 fpe with AAF. To be honest. I must admit that I was dubious as to whether the Chinese barrel would be any good. Certainly, a visual inspection showed the rifling to be neatly cut and the crown appeared properly done. But the proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating.
Once I’d reacquainted myself with the technique of shooting a lightweight springer, I was pleased to find that it turned in some very decent groups. Half-inch groups at 25 yards were easy and with a bit of practice I could get a five shot group that could be covered by a 5p piece. Indeed, it wasn’t unusual to get 2 or 3 pellets through the same, increasingly ragged hole.
It was looking good, but then after about a hundred shots the rifle started to lose power. A quick strip down revealed a split piston seal. And this highlighted another problem: Spares (or lack thereof). SMK won’t supply spares so I tried several local RFDs who were also totally uninterested in supplying the parts. In the end I ordered the relevant bits from Jim Maccari in the States but then these failed to arrive. It felt like a conspiracy! Eventually, I found that a TX200 piston seal was the same (indeed it was a better fit than the original) and it was back to happy days.
With the AA seal in place the XS20 was stunningly consistent - with a velocity spread of just 6 fps over 10 shots. Excellent stuff.
All the more galling then, when after another few hundred shots, it totally refused to group . Previously this gun was a tack driver – now it was more like a shotgun. I tried all the usual stuff: Different pellets, different scopes and different shooters. The verdict? It don’t group (well not anymore).
And we couldn’t figure out why. We cleaned the barrel, we tightened the breach jaws. There was no damage or obvious cause for the problem and over the chrono it showed excellent consistency.
Yet it still wouldn’t group. I was pulling my hair out big time! After all, this gun would print neat cloverleafs at 25 yards out of the box and now, after only a few hundred pellets, it wouldn’t do better than 2 inch groups at the same distance.
So I did a web search and found mention of a similar problem. http://anotherairgunblog.blogspot...rricks-xiscobam-b26-2-part-6.html. It seems in that case that the barrel latch pin was a loose fit in it’s bore causing the barrel to latch in a slightly different position each time, causing shots to go all over the show – pretty much what was happening to mine.
That author’s solution was to machine a replacement latch pin. Mine was to return the rifle to the shop.
A sorry saga, really. The XS20 was a nice rifle and, in the main, well built. It promised much and almost delivered, but problems with spares and niggling quality control issues really spoil the party. In the end, I'd had enough.
A shame really because the Chinese have nearly got it right, and I wish them well in the future, but one thing’s for sure: I won’t touch another Chinese gun ever again.
Good Luck if you do!