Age of TX200 HC

[silverstag]

Just exchanged my pro sport .177 for a TX200 HC in .22. I've found .177 difficult to load with my fingers so wanted a .22. After comparing the pro sport to a TX200 HC I decided on the TX. Can anyone date this gun for me, serial number 12587. Thanks Terry

[Outandabout]

Contact air arms and give them the serial number. They are very good and will reply with a date.
Kevin

[silverstag]

Thanks Kevin, I'll do that

[silverstag]

Contacted Air Arms and got an immediate reply on the date of the gun, excellent service. When I bought the HC I was told it was a Mk2. I thought I'd take the opportunity while I was contacting Air Arms to ask them what the PHYSICAL differences are between the Mk 2 HC and the Mk3 HC. They replied saying that the HC's are not specified with a Mk. they are just called HC.
As a newbie this was something I didn't know. and just wonder if others were of the same opinion.
Can anyone list the physical changes to the HC over its lifetime

[FPoole]

I've only seen pictures and read owners statements, but it seems the early HC's had the old MarkII piston with it's shorter stroke. If you open the gun, you can check this by measuring the distance the tip of the rod sticks out past the pistons rear skirt. MarkI and MarkII will be around 45 mm, with the MarkIII rod being around 30 mm out past the rear of the piston. There is also an FAC piston for the MarkII and it sticks out 35 mm. I would think the last piston would be pretty rare in the U.K., but it's pretty common here since I have 4. I also never realized the HC came out as early as the #12,*** serial numbered guns. I've had MarkII's in the #16,*** range, but they weren't HC models.

[silverstag]

Thanks FPoole, mine's been dated as 1996, but as I said Air Arms don't recognise MK1 MK2 and MK3 in the HC model. That's why I'm interested in the time line, what changed and when. Nobody seems to know. I've emailed Air Arms but have had no reply yet. I'm really surprised with the gun being so popular that no-one on the forum seems to have any info on this. The only physical change I can see is the stock alterations but don't know when this happened

[cooper_dan]

As said, the early HC's were made with Mk2 pistons.
They changed to the mk3 spec in November 1998 at the same time as the full length mk3 came out

I think the idea of not having 'mk' versions of the HC was to keep it simple and avoid confusion

[silverstag]

Thanks cooper-Dan,

What you have said ties in with what others have told me

All the best

Terry