V-Mach (12 ft lb kit) TX200....6000 shots in

[edbear2]

I bought an early MK3 TX (.177) off here a couple of years ago as I was looking for a bell target gun (our league uses full power springers / open sights). I made some iron sights for it and changed the stock a bit (within the league regs.), and fitted a Rowan setback for comfort.

Anyhow, a strip and check showed it was generally in good fettle, but I thought I would give it a treat anyhow...So I ordered a V-Mach kit from BAR.

Immediately on receipt I was impressed by the comprehensive instructions, and the general quality of the components. Fitting was breeze, aided by the brilliant but simple jig for seal fitting. I won't do a step by step on the rebuild as it is simple stuff, only to say I followed all the instructions and lubing regime to the letter.

On first firing the gun was transformed, it just felt smoother and quieter, but a prolonged spell at the Skan showed it was in the high 11's and too close for my liking to the limit, even though I tried every weight and shape of pellet I had...also shot to shot it was varying by as much as 25 fps!

I looked around on the various forums about this last point, and saw the problems regarding the slide and other factors, so had a good look at the gun...all seemed fine, all seals were good.

I was a bit disappointed with this variation, as my old vintage stuff with leather washers can hold less than a 10 fps difference, in fact some do half that when well settled in. Maybe I thought the synthetic parachute seal would be straight on the money.

Anyway, I emailed the ever helpful Mr Pope about my concerns, and he gave me a long and detailed reply assuring me it would settle down.

After maybe a couple of tins it had in fact dropped to a consistent 11.6, and maybe a 15 F.P.S. variation, and to be honest, at the range I use it (6 yards) in the season, this was not an issue.

Since then I had not given it a thought...It comes out every Thursday from Sept - April and does 5 shots practise, 5 shots competition, in between this it wears a little compact JSR scope and does duty as a rat gun. In the season, and from about now, I shoot 10-20 shots maybe 5 days a week to keep my eye / stance in practise.

Anyway, maybe like all good things, you just take them for granted, but this morning I gave it it's usual weekly screw check and pivot lube, and also it's annual barrel clean...I then set about putting 40 shots through to re-lead, and realised just how smooth, quiet and "dead" the gun had become...something I had not really noticed in the noisy pubs and halls we shoot in.

So...out came the skan for the first time in months (we have a pre-season chrono check by league officials, so I was curious to see how it was holding up).

It is now doing around the 11 mark, which seems to suit it perfectly, and feels sooo good compared to the HW's that other members shoot (to be fair mostly stock guns).

Oh yes, the consistency...If you are reading this Steve, you were right of course...a 10 shot string showed;

767.20
763.98
772.20
770.71
772.20
767.75
770.71
769.80
768.93

Hard to argue with that!....how do I know it's done 6000 shots?...easy, I have a stack of empty AA field tins at my firing point in the workshop

Can't think of anything bad to say...money well spent methinks!

[Nikkormat]

I'm glad the tune settled down in the end.

The stock looks wonderful. I can see you've added depth to the forend, and have you scooped out behind the pistol grip too? Really great work.

Matt

[Andy Bee]

Nice review!, I've never managed to get on with a TX. I can shoot a prosport well enough, but good to know the TX is as good as it is. I like the gun, stock, trigger infact everything about it. A very capable gun from most you hear about them. The tune it's had has stood the test of time and the numbers are good.

[Tom J]

Just v mached my tx with the rowan set back trigger and like yours it was totally transformed so smooth and quiet now

[Two200's]

I put a Vmach kit in a TX200 and although it gave it a very nice feeling to shoot - it also made it dreadfully hold sensitive.

From a Kneeling position shots would raise 2 inches at 45 yards.

Now i am not knocking the Vmach kit - i had a 97K with a Vmach Kit and that was better than the TX in every way.

My findings - not any one elses!

Ta.