AA TX200 or HW97KT?

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I don't think you can go wrong with either. I recently bought a TX200 mkIII in walnut and a HW97 Black Line STL. They both are great, the TX200 has nicer finishes (blueing and wood) the HW feels more solid and quality. I shoot the HW better off hand but the TX better from the bench. I have shoot the HW about 3-4 times as much over the last two months, but both are great.
 
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I had the same dilemma - what to get, a TX200 or a HW97. Many said to get both, I didn't get both, but I did buy the TX200. Folks said i couldn't go wrong with either, but more folks said to go with the TX200, so I did. I also have a Diana Model 48 and a Diana 460 Magnum. Both Diana's are good shooters, but my new TX200 is better at grouping pellets on the target - it's also easier to cock.

I've shot the same pellet in all three springers and found out the TX200 shoots a tad faster than the 48, but not as fast as the 460.

Here's what I found out by shooting GTO Lead-free 11.75 gn pellets in all three. I actually weighed the pellets and they averaged a mass of 11.74 gn, not 11.75 - not that it matters. I wanted to compare FPE's, and found out that none of the springers shot the lead-free pellets "great" but the TX200 did produce tighter groups.

Diana 48 - 11.74 gn pellet, avg velocity of 10 pellets was 839.4 fps. That produces a FPE of 18.37 ft-lb.

TX200 - 11.74 gn pellet, avg velocity of 10 pellets was 846.6 fps. That produces a FPE of 18.69 ft-lb.

Diana 460 Mag - 1.74 gn pellet, avg velocity of 10 pellets was 944.5 fps. That produces a FPE of 23.26 ft-lb.




 
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TX pros- walnut stock, glided piston, excellent bluing, excellent accuracy, easy to work on, carbine or standard length

TX cons- noisy/cumbersome beartrap, price, lefty more $, only 2 stock options, only one finish, smallish loading port, no adjustable recoil pad, only 2 calibers



97 pros- ambidextrous stock, thumbhole stock, sporter stock, laminate stock, synthetic stock, long barrel may be available by special order, stainless look or blued finish, less expensive, no noisy/cumbersome anti bear trap, large ambidextrous loading port, adjustable recoil pad on some versions, .177, .20, .22, .25 available, excellent accuracy

97 cons- bluing not as nice as AA IMO, no walnut option, no glided piston, can often be twangy, not as easy to work on
 
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The HW97 is the better gun. Less issues and more ideal powerplant dimensions for a nice shot cycle. Also doesn't have the irritating beartrap ratchet nonsense.

97 all day. I've had both and wouldnt own another TX.
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When you say "beartrap" are you speaking of that catch thing that prevents the bolt from sliding forward until the press down on it? If so, I've gotten used to it, both my Dianas have one, too.
 
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Have both and the AA are hands down prettier but fact is there's a 50 to 1 ratio in HW springers compared to AA springers in my collection.

The 22 AA hauls azz compared to my 22 HW97k.

I find the HW springers easier for me to shoot accutately.

You should get an RWS 54 it's like a FWB300s with a huge motor and supercharger. You get bored dfilling the same dang hole all day onng you think you completely missing the target.

At least you get a real challenge with both the recoilling TX200 and HW97 keeps things real and you have to try real hard to keep them groups tight always have your ON game.

I get it. I shoot my recoilling springers once in a while matter of fact lately bought a Crosman F4 and Stoeger s4000 to get my lazy on game back on from shooting PCPs too much. So far with the F4 it's easy to miss thats 4sure. You will see what I mean since you got a FWB300s.
 
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I have both, the left handed TX200 and the HW97KT,this question is asked a lot....I am right handed but shoot left handed so I got the lefty TX200.

The problem with that = I am right handed and the loading port is on the left side of the TX it is a Pain for me to load,also have big hands and fingers.Now I know ,get a left handed stock,but a right handed action...

If you are a true lefty with regular size hands the TX is great....if not the 97 is a way better choice,it is easier to load.

so then if you are a true lefty with regular size hands the TX is more refined for you as it has a nice left handed Walnut stock and better blueing,yea it has a bear trap....use it long enough at became ok.I also think the TX is lighter and easier to shot offhand....

Because of "my" problems in loading the TX sits,my HW97KT in .22 has become a favorite of mine....
 
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I'm right handed but left eye dominant. Also I have a 48 in .22 with a vortek spring, it's a hammer but it's also difficult to shoot consistently accurate. If I shoot it often it's not bad, but I mostly shoot my 300's and 601. I'd like to have a rifle that I can pick up when needed and shoot sparrows off my bluebird box or squirrels out of my pecan trees without have to practice shooting all the time. No PCP's.



Thanks guys.


 
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97KT —-I have the TX200 and the pro sport as well HW77 and 97k. All are very accurate. They all destroy squirrels. I like the pro sport over TX200 for looks and no button on bear trap . Both I find a pain to load, compared to the HW’s it’s no contest. I prefer the HW’s only over loading issues. I am not an experienced air gunner like most in this forum. The TX200 was my first. Good luck Crow 
 
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I'd buy a Benjamin Maximus and a hand pump over either AA OR HW recoilling Springer in 22 caliber for live critter shooting. It will easily outshoot both springers consistently past 35 yards without even trying and give you at least an effective 65 yard (or farther depends on you shooting skills) humane kill shot.

With the money saved you can buy a Crosman Challenger trigger and TKO silencer and it's gonna be your most accurate 50 yard gun and also your quietest assuming you never owned a PCP b4.

If the Maximus or Discovery was available when I first got into airguns I probably wouldn't own 95% of my springers due to the ease of pumping to only 2000psi with a hand pump.

I'd recommend the ATI Nova Freedom or Seneca Aspen but they have questionable reliability longevity.
 
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I can hit a 2 inch spinner target at 100 yards 9/10 times sometimes 10/10 times with my 177 and 22 Benjamin Maximusus and Discovery and the ONLY springers that I have shot that can consistantly do that at 100 yards are my RWS 54s and 56s in both 177 and 22 calibers. 

They are always dead on first shot no matter how long they are stored even after over a year.
 
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I'm right handed but left eye dominant. Also I have a 48 in .22 with a vortek spring, it's a hammer but it's also difficult to shoot consistently accurate. If I shoot it often it's not bad, but I mostly shoot my 300's and 601. I'd like to have a rifle that I can pick up when needed and shoot sparrows off my bluebird box or squirrels out of my pecan trees without have to practice shooting all the time. No PCP's.



Thanks guys.

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A 48 running around 16fpe is pretty dang easy to shoot. I tuned one for a lady and she could shoot the thing lights out from a bench, rested on a post, or whatever. I used an ARH ZRT kit I believe? Anyway, it was a seriously impressive tool when it wasn't running "wide open". Great hunting gun. 

A 77K/97 at around 12fpe in .177 is about as effortless to shoot as you can get. They are an absolute dream at this power. I've hunted squirrels for ages with them at this power, and it's more than enough out to 40 yards or so. 

In contrast, the TX200 has a pretty lazy shot cycle at more reasonable lower powers. That near 100mm stroke shows itself. The HWs have a shorter stroke and are much quicker feeling at any power level and especially shine around 12fpe. 

For sake of conversation, the older TX200s from the early days were a somewhat copy of a Venom tuned 77K. They also copied the piston diameter and stroke of the 77K at that time and they shot very well. Later on, the stroke was lengthened considerably to make more power and appeal more to other markets that weren't power restricted. And the guns suffered for it in my opinion. They now had more recoil, and slower lock times at lower power.

However, the HWs retained their original dimensions aside from a 1mm increase in piston diameter over all these years. They come tuned a little hot out of the box for my tastes, but a slight detune makes them very tame and dead easy to shoot. 

Moral of the story, springers are much more impressive at lower, more reasonable power levels. And the best way to get there, is with a kit from Air Rifle Headquarters due to his springs being better dimensioned for smooth shooting. With the dual-guide setup that Vortek uses, they will always be a higher stressed setup and it shows in cocking effort, and sometimes shooting. 

Just my two cents, but 12ishFPE .177s are just hard to beat for spring gun accuracy.

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I have had both but currently only own the TX’s. I have a mk1, mk3 and an SR. 

The rekord trigger on the HW is the better trigger. Also much easier to adjust.

The TX is hands down easier to work on, trigger adjustment aside. One can be stripped to bits in just a few minutes without needing a spring compressor.

In the end you can’t go wrong with either. I say get whichever you are more drawn towards.



It is a horrible picture but I had all three out on Sunday for a little exercise. MK1 on the top with an NJ stock, middle is a MK3 with a Maccari stock filled with lead and the bottom is an SR.



908B76D3-094C-4110-8494-6CF3270C6BB0.1611024697.jpeg





 
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