I bought my first TX200 in 2010, and ran more than a dozen different pellets over the chronograph. The most impressive pellet was the .22, 12.65gr H&N Baracuda Green. Dimensional tolerances were very consistent. Head Diameter: 5.50 - 5.51, Skirt Diameter: 5.70 – 5.72, Length: 8.23 – 8.26. The standard deviation in a 14 shot group was 3fps and 1 ft/lbs. of energy. Life was good; I had the perfect pellet for my TX200 so I went online and bought 10,000 .22, 12.65gr Baracuda Green Pellets. I've used these pellets and only these pellets to take everything from armadillo to grey fox.
Recently, I replaced the compression tube, piston, and piston seal in my TX200. When I ran the pellets over the chronograph the numbers were still impressive with a standard deviation in a 14 shot group of 3fps and 0.4 ft/lbs. Once again life was good, and then, I discovered that my original purchase of 10,000 pellets had shrunk to a meager 4 tins. So, I grabbed a couple of tins that I ordered 2 years ago and quickly discovered that life sucks.
H&N, what have you done to my pellets, those wonderful magic pellets that made life so good? I kid you not; these are the dimensions for the latest batch of 12.65gr pellets. Head Diameter: 5.52 – 5.54, Skirt Diameter: 5.73 – 5.80, Length: 8.40 – 9.03. Obviously, these aren’t the same pellets, and while my TX200 shoots the 5.50 – 5.51 with outstanding accuracy, she chokes on the 5.52 – 5.54 and spits them out with a lack of accuracy. Fortunately, I only bought 2,000 of these new pellets but at more than 10 cents each I’m not happy. I'll have to search for a new pellet and when I find it, I'll make another purchase of 10,000 or more.
Recently, I replaced the compression tube, piston, and piston seal in my TX200. When I ran the pellets over the chronograph the numbers were still impressive with a standard deviation in a 14 shot group of 3fps and 0.4 ft/lbs. Once again life was good, and then, I discovered that my original purchase of 10,000 pellets had shrunk to a meager 4 tins. So, I grabbed a couple of tins that I ordered 2 years ago and quickly discovered that life sucks.
H&N, what have you done to my pellets, those wonderful magic pellets that made life so good? I kid you not; these are the dimensions for the latest batch of 12.65gr pellets. Head Diameter: 5.52 – 5.54, Skirt Diameter: 5.73 – 5.80, Length: 8.40 – 9.03. Obviously, these aren’t the same pellets, and while my TX200 shoots the 5.50 – 5.51 with outstanding accuracy, she chokes on the 5.52 – 5.54 and spits them out with a lack of accuracy. Fortunately, I only bought 2,000 of these new pellets but at more than 10 cents each I’m not happy. I'll have to search for a new pellet and when I find it, I'll make another purchase of 10,000 or more.
