Loading Pellets

[martbates]

Hi all my name is Martin. As a new comer to springers, I bought my first one yesterday A TX200hc, I only have one problem and its probably been bought up before but I have rather large fingers and have a hard job loading the pellets into the barrel, has anyone else had this problem and if so are there any solutions. Other than that I love the rifle .

[gary martin]

just a question of practice. when i had an S400, i found that tricky as i went from .22 to .177 and found the pellets more difficult to handle, now it's second nature. I own a TX200 and a Pro Sport now, the transition from an EV2 which is simple to load to the springers was just the same, now although never as easy it is just a process. The more you shoot your rifle the better you get to know it. Not much help i know as you were hoping a silver bullet. I shoot FT so sitting most of the time. I tend to hold the barrel upward at around 45 degrees, i can see the barrel in this position and thumb it in, holding the cocking lever at all times of course.

[tonyc]

I shoot right handed but usually cock with my right hand and load with my left, which should make it difficult... but it's not really. I can load with the rifle at any angle with either hand but I find the easiest is with the barrel pointed down so I can drop the pellet in. Like you, I have big hands and I find the top joint of my thumb is too long to thumb it in easily. You might find a position where you can use your finger on the base of the pellet and your thumb on the skirt .

[gary martin]

Just wondering as to why someone would go to the time and effort of joining a forum, post a question and not return?

[Walnut92]

I found that loading pellets became easier - or more 'mechanical' when I made a habit of holding the underlever with my left hand (having cocked it with my right) whilst I loaded the breech with my right.

I suspect it was/is because this always places the gun in the same orientation each time, with the butt on top inside of my thigh and left arm around the 'back' of the gun holding the underlever.

As a slight aside, how many people do hold the lever whilst loading...?

[tonyc]

I found that loading pellets became easier - or more 'mechanical' when I made a habit of holding the underlever with my left hand (having cocked it with my right) whilst I loaded the breech with my right.

I suspect it was/is because this always places the gun in the same orientation each time, with the butt on top inside of my thigh and left arm around the 'back' of the gun holding the underlever.

As a slight aside, how many people do hold the lever whilst loading...?

I do almost the reverse. Being right handed, as the rifle comes off the shoulder it seems natural to cock with the left hand. I prefer to load with my left, so I transfer my hold the lever to my right hand and load with my left over the top (into a right-side port). It may seem a strange way of doing it but it works with the muzzle pointing in any direction with pellet pinched between finger and thumb. If I try to load right handed I can't get as good access.

[FPoole]

As a lefty shooter who is right handed, I always got a lefty stock and righty action. One day a fine old full lefty MarkI came up for sale and I wondered if I could load it. I turned my righty guns upside down to put the port on the left. It was easy and I now cock this lefty gun(yes I bought it) right handed and load left handed, never taking my right hand off the lever. It's so easy and natural. I have large hands, but loading is now muscle memory, as in, left handed, right handed, eyes closed, or dark of night, I don't even look at the port. I've loaded the TX's so much I can do it faster than others can load a break barrel.