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Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 12:55 am
by Chuck Glider
This is my first ever post, so hello everyone. I've just bought my first pcp, an Air Arms S200, Mk3 in .177. I'd like to tell you about it and ask you experts whether you think it's ok or a dud, or whatever. I bought it secondhand at a bargain price. It seems to be about as accurate as my Weihrauch HW50S - that's just my initial impression. I haven't tested them side by side.

After researching the trigger adjustments (complex, 6 variables: 5 screws and the distance of trigger blade on slider) I got it working so that it feels good to me. Light first stage, short definite second stage with a crisp fairly light release. Trigger is now MUCH better than when I first got it (crunchy, sticky and a bit unpredictable).

First attachment is a photo of air rifle targets shot at 10m, using dioptre sights + ring front sight tunnel, rifle rested on a bag. Outdoors a little windy. Shooting 5 pellets per roundel. I was testing H&N Finale Match against 3 times cheaper Gamo Match, and found them to be about the same. I also found out that RWS CO2 Target pellets don't go well in this gun - groups are noticeably bigger. RWS Hobby are good, but not quite as good as the Gamo Match and H&N FMs. In the photo, the numbers are measurements in mm of vertical spread o-o, horizontal spread o-o, and group size c-c. As you can see, the group size is 5mm and 7mm.

GamoVHFN.jpg
5 pellet groups
GamoVHFN.jpg (215.61 KiB) Viewed 4419 times

I have a chronograph, as I do archery, and had a go at measuring the power curve. Chart is the second attachment (the blanks were because the chrony errored). The data shows:
Shots 20>40 (20)
Max: 772.1, 10.5
Ave: 764.8, 10.3
Min: 758.9, 10.1
Spread: 13.2

Shots 19>74 (55)
Max: 782.7, 10.7
Ave: 769.1, 10.4
Min: 751.2, 9.9
Spread: 31.5

s200powercurve.png
RWS CO2 Target 7gr
s200powercurve.png (13.54 KiB) Viewed 4419 times

So, what do you think? Is this rifle ok as should be expected, or is it worse? Reason I ask is that I was expecting my first pcp to be way better than the spring rifles that I have, but it doesn't seem to be that different. Apart from the HW50S I have a Walther LGV Challenger (and of course an obligatory Chinese B2 rifle that's pants, but fun!).

Chuck Glider
Berkshire, U.K.
Pfft in peace...B)

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 7:39 am
by Roger5
Personally, I would stop using wadcutters in it and try AADF 4.52, none of my pcps like wadcutters, AADF 4.52 are a bit heavier so your power may go up a bit. Rog

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 9:51 am
by TenMetrePeter
You might expect a 10 metre person to say wadcutters per se are OK (i even read a study that showed they were faster and more accurate below 25 yards) but yes they tend to be lighter and best in the 6 ft lb target versions. "CO2" pellets are the lightest of all and too light for such a rifle IMO. I use 8.3 grain R10 in my 6ft lb MPR

I had a similar curve on my S200 and as I got through 150 pellets in a session I took a small buddy bottle with me and topped up every 50 pellets which I weighed into film canisters (I won a prize in Airgunner for that!). Then someone invented DIY regulators but it was too late for me.
Thing is, springs provide the same power every stroke once warmed up but need a special hold for the recoil. PCP gradually lose it but have no recoil. Take your pick really. S200 is a great rifle in the curve.

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 12:04 pm
by Roger5
Roger5 wrote:Personally, I would stop using wadcutters in it and try AADF 4.52, none of my pcps like wadcutters, AADF 4.52 are a bit heavier so your power may go up a bit. Rog

You can see from his graphs that this is a 12ftlb rifle,so I don't understand why it's got diopters on it in the first place, and yes I know they can be fitted to the S200 but you wouldn't be doing 10mtr with a 12ftlb rifle, and as I said before wadcutters don't IMO work in 12ftlb PCPs, but they do in my springers HW80 & 95 both in .22, and my95 .177 likes likes RWS Supermags, but apart from all that, the S200 is a great little rifle. Rog

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 12:28 pm
by TenMetrePeter
Agreed Rog.
With the right pellets and rested at 10m should get single hole clover leaf in the 9 ring. I suggest clamping carefully in a workmate. Quick setup of club guns I shoot from workmate and wind the dioptres into the hole, then fine tune.

We dont allow 12ftlb at 10m due to pellet catcher damage and at 6 yds the red hot lead splash is painful on the face - usually the guy next to you.

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 2:05 pm
by Chuck Glider
Thanks for your thoughts. The chrony numbers indicate it's at 10.4 ftlb. Can I lower it to 6 or 7?

Will try both domed pellets and clamped to see what happens, and will let you know.

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 4:47 pm
by Mark112
Hi,

Best to contact Julian Bond (bgaltd) on this site to know what you have to do to lower the power to 6-7 ft.lbs (possibly just a hammer spring change). Get to know the 'sweet spot' on you rifle and exploit it to it's best. At 10M you should be able to use a fair bit of it as point of impact should not change much. It's good that you have a full stot string and I would look to be using the fill/refill points that give a 20fps spread to start with. There is a magnificently written thread on the sweet spot here:- viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2942 :D . As others have said try some JSB Exacts/AA Diabolo Fields as your rifle should like them. At 10M I would have thought that you should be getting groups not much bigger than the pellet.

Mark.

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 5:02 pm
by Roger5
As Mark says you will have to change the hammer spring to reduce the power, it's part no CZ023/2 7.5j and Julian for bits. Rog

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 6:31 pm
by Chuck Glider
So I tried clamping the rifle in a workmate with leather faces, and shot some 5 pellet groups. I used Gamo Match and JSB Exact (which are marked 4.5 on the tin, but 4.51 on a sticker underneath). The first photo is of that. This shows a 5 pellets going in the same hole using JSB Exacts. I'm chuffed with that, and it tells me the rifle is ok.

The rest of the photos are of the action sans stock. I wanted to show you the cap over the venturi and the weird thing on the spring tension hole. Are these anti tamper devices? What are they and how can I get to the parts that need to be adjusted to have a go at reducing the power.

Thanks!

Re: Is this S200 performing ok?

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 7:18 pm
by Roger5
I reckon if you back out that hammer adjuster, you will reduce the power by quite a bit, and the little Venturi cover will need to be drilled or dremmel cut to remove to gain access to power adjuster screw. Rog