I has not semi-auto...

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Ragnarok
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Wed May 07, 2008 7:33 pm

... or even bolt action. But, nonetheless, I was lucky enough to be able to pick this new toy up from the local store earlier today:
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It's an Air Arms TX 200 Hunter Carbine (with the Beech stock - no real reason to spend more on the Walnut one) in .177" calibre, and full 12 ft-lbs power (at least, once the spring is bedded in). Of course, if you're called JSR, the previous sentence is redundant, as you already knew that.... :P

Oddly enough, I've never owned an airgun before - I've used them many a time, but I've never (until now) had one of my own. Dozens of launchers, but not one air rifle.

But it's turning out great so far. With the couple of hours I've had shooting, I've only fired a few dozen pellets through it, but it's already proved great fun.
I know it's probably not much at all compared to what some of you guys have (either airgun, or powder-burner), but I've already fallen in love with it. Looks great, sounds great, feels great - even smells great. (And no, I haven't tried tasting it yet.)

It's also good for my fairly small suburban garden - as it's reasonably short (being the carbine version - 38.5" long) and reasonably quiet (having an internal sound moderator) - Perfect.
Is a little heavy though, but that's to be expected, and not really a problem.

You might not be too interested just seeing pictures (I know I wouldn't necessarily be) - so tomorrow, I'll be setting up targets for some proper target practise, and if all goes well, you'll see the results in this thread.

And in case you spotted my comment in the "Eclipse" thread - yeah, this is what I spent my hard earned on, along with maintenance equipment and a small stockpile of pellets.

And yes, I do know the title is bad grammar. I have a precedent - two in fact.
Does that thing kinda look like a big cat to you?
OuchProgramme
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:01 pm

Carbine :)
But small :shock:

Looks real nice though
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jrrdw
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:07 pm

Sweet! I love air rifles, I bought my step father a annaversary edition crossman. Complete with scope. How much did it set you back? Pratice shooting the tops/caps off of soda bottels.
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Ragnarok
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:26 pm

OuchProgramme wrote:Looks real nice though
Yup. I'm desperately waiting for tomorrow when I can get back to using it again (it's the middle of the night now)

The carbine isn't too much shorter than the regular version, only around 3 inches, but that's still an important difference... less nose heavy, and in fact a little less heavy anyway.
I've also noticed that those extra 3 inches would mean that should I hold it slackly with the muzzle towards the ground, it would actually risk rubbing on the ground.

@jrrdw: The rifle on it's own set me back £310, around $600 USD equivalent. And that was from my local airgun store - regrettably, legislation in the UK means you can't order them across the net any more, but having looked on net catalogues (where you can browse the collection, and then go to a store to buy) the best price I've found for it is no more favourable than £300, so not a bad deal.

The airgun store owner seems like a very nice guy.
Does that thing kinda look like a big cat to you?
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STHORNE
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:30 pm

not to get off-topic, but wtf's up with the title? lol

Do we just feel there is no need for literacy Ragnarok? Or are we just getting lazy lol
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Ragnarok
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:35 pm

I already have an answer for that:
Ragnarok wrote:And yes, I do know the title is bad grammar. I have a precedent - two in fact.
JSR's "I has semi-auto" and SPG's "I don't has Semi-Auto" threads respectively... both also pertaining to airguns.

Just seemed appropriate - in a way, it's like a mini forum tradition that airgun related threads are titled in poor grammar, and with some reference to semi-auto, whether or not the airgun is actually semi.
Does that thing kinda look like a big cat to you?
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STHORNE
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:36 pm

Oh lol, i see....

well...do as you must to keep traditions going!
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bigbob12345
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:36 pm

Nice airgun
ill have to get mself something like that eventually
and sthorne

Ragnarok wrote:And yes, I do know the title is bad grammar
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:36 pm

That's very nice Rag!

Seems a well made piece, and should give you years of good use.

Glad to hear you bought the "maintenance equipment" right off. (not nearly enough do this)

Always a smart move. :)
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Wed May 07, 2008 8:39 pm

The airgun store owner seems like a very nice guy.
I'd be to if you were spending £310 in my store! Heheheeee.
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Wed May 07, 2008 9:02 pm

it's like a mini forum tradition that airgun related threads are titled in poor grammar,
For a second I thought Ragnarok was trying to be an lolcat... (quick, someone make a picture!)

Anyway, that's a nice airgun. Too bad about the price though... I probably would have bought a real gun myself.
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BC Pneumatics
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Wed May 07, 2008 10:11 pm

Nice gun. My situation is similar to yours- (Well, yours up until recently.) I have tons of launchers, even some firearms, but no airguns! They can be a lot of fun, I really should get one.

I hadn't realized the pound was at $1.95USD. Our economy really is going down the sh</i>itter.
Last edited by BC Pneumatics on Thu May 08, 2008 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ragnarok
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Thu May 08, 2008 3:41 am

BC Pneumatics wrote:I hadn't realized the pound was at $1.95USD.
It was at $2.02 not long back, so it's improved a little. Although the change might be partly due to the UK economy has dropping back a little.
I have tons of launchers, even some firearms, but no airguns! They can be a lot of fun, I really should get one.
I know... about two weeks ago, I realised that was a bit daft, and as I'd been promising myself one for a while, I started some research.
_Fnord wrote:For a second I thought Ragnarok was trying to be an lolcat... (quick, someone make a picture!)
I can has quorn burger?
I is adikted to thos fings - srsly... :P

LolRag- the new phenomenon sweeping... this thread?
Anyway, that's a nice airgun. Too bad about the price though... I probably would have bought a real gun myself.
Well, if you want something good, you always need to part with some notes. And I don't have any opportunity for a powder burner - although I'm not too upset, as the pellets are cheaper, and I can use it safely and quietly in my back garden. That seems pretty good to me.

Besides, you don't need much power for target shooting... and should I really need power to destroy something - well, I have no idea where I might get that.

@jrrdw: That's just it. He doesn't get a huge number of customers, and everything they buy is quite a large investment.
You wouldn't get by long running that kind of business if you weren't helpful and polite.

@Gippeto: Well, having cleaned the rifles at Army Cadets as many times as I have, maintenance does come to mind to me sooner than most.

And at that money, I want this thing to last me a long while. Lack of maintenance isn't going to let that happen.
Does that thing kinda look like a big cat to you?
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Ragnarok
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Thu May 08, 2008 9:21 am

Yup, a double post.

The rifle is turning out great. I've got it all mostly zeroed in now - but it may need a few later tweaks as I improve.

With it as it is at the moment, I can take a 5/8" marble, set it down at 10 metres, and if I don't rush it, I can hit and smash the marble pretty much every time (from a sitting position I'm experimenting with) - and they do need a good near-centre hit on them to smash...

My groups on paper targets are also looking favourable. I'll see about getting some pictures later.

Not all bad for someone as out of practise as I am I'd say. Mind you, the first of my tins of pellets is feeling distinctly lighter.
Does that thing kinda look like a big cat to you?
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BC Pneumatics
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Thu May 08, 2008 10:06 am

Glad to hear you are enjoying her. (Though it is not exactly a surprise or anything.) Of course, I can hit an ear hair from a pocket fox at 300m with open sights.... but don't worry, you will get there.'

I was never a fan of the "For that price, I would buy a "real" gun" philosophy. As far as I am concerned, airguns and firearms are two discrete things. It is as if you had hundreds of family movies on VHS, so went out an bought a VCR to watch them, then your roommate tells you "You should have gotten a DVD player." DVD players are nice, but they don't help me watch a VHS.

Now all I have to do is sit back and wait for everyone who must chime in saying "You should just convert those VHS tapes to DVD, or store them on your HDD." and "Get a VCR/DVD combo, they are cheaper than plain VCRs these days." All hilarious responses, but you get my point.
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