I’ll say hello and this about your 430L, and John in PA in general.
I didn’t buy one at $150 from AOA simply because it has no open sights. If it had RWS fiber optics at the least. People wonder why I want old 1980’s RWS TO1’s. Because they used all metal sights and guess what. A TO5/6 is not better than a TO1. Every airgun has gone down on quality except EDgun.
Your groups up top? My John Tomas tuned buttoned piston springers give me groups the size of those quarters at 40 yards with refined iron sights. That’s what a John Thomas full tune can do for it.
And I have left my JIPA tuned springers out in 32*F or less, come back hours later and still same POI with first shot. That’s special lubes that don’t get stiff in cold. John Thomas is well worth the money. I’m not saying he’s Hector Medina. But the R1 I have, John knows what it can do. He’d take it back in a heartbeat. Offered to re tune my other 6 of his for it back.
Nobody wants to buy it because someone along the way did drill through the compression tube in back. Scope stop gone wrong? Don’t know but it shoots and I just scoped it to see just how tight it can do with the 14.66 5.54 FTT’s.
Yes Sir, if you think it’s nice now wait until John fully does one for you.
If you’re close to me & want to try one and pay shipping both ways you can. I won’t sell a John in PA springer as there’s nobody wiling to pay what they are worth in my heart to me.
By the way I’m willing to trade any PCP’s for verified fully tuned, buttoned T01 JIPA tuned springers. I’m wanting these listed below again, & I’ll tell you why. I’m selling certain PCP’s as I’m getting a bunch of higher end ones. I’ll have every PCP I’ve dreamed of. I DON’T have every tuned spring gun I want. My goal is to own at least one tuned springer from Every well known tuner.
I recently spoke with the legend Ken Reeves. His Arthritis won’t allow him to tune often or to his standards. God bless that man. He’s a living legend AND honest.
I want a Motorhead springer. And someone got real lucky with the BSA I sold them that I should have had Scott do up exactly like his FT pistol w/a TDR carbine stock.
I have to try a Paul Watts Sunnen honed masterpiece before I die. Funny thing is I could have told my buddy to send one but again I passed as everyone seems to get sights taken off and a brake put on. Fine if you have the sights to put back on. There’s a secret to using a low magnification fine reticle scope with front hooded sights that makes bubble levels look like garbage in attaining continuous precise shot placement.
Wouldn’t mind a Ed K. A Slade, Mr. Johnny Piston is all grown up and I remember that post of someone showing him how to do his first tune.
I told John Thomas if I come back to old home area & you teach me on the 48’s, 52, & R1 the Walther LGV Master Ultra is yours. I’m willing to trade the FX Elite in lefty Corcoran stock with 6 barrels, 3 air sources, dummy reg body & freshly resealed block, rebuilt real reg. You can shoot it regulated or full flow. John needs a righty stock. Almost had a deal but I don’t know if folks don’t know, or think I don’t know.
Not to hijack your thread as this is ultimately about your question on John Thomas tuned spring guns and how much better they work after a full tune.
Anyway I’d trade The FX Elite. But not for what’s been offered or I keep the Benchmark barrel. It’s a documented fact. Came off MAC1 USFT Hunter #26. In 2011-2012 a post was made “Shooting flies at 55 yards.”’ And that barrel is the one. I’ve said literally hole in hole at 50 yards with JSB 18.13’s or any pure lead pellets. For one, relevance here folks but John Thomas can choke any barrel to specs of shooters desire. I was against chokes and still am in some ways but soft pellets get damaged and here’s why the choke saves your shots.
The Benchmark is a .215” bore, .214” lands & a 2” long .213” choke. That’s tight if you don’t know but at 29” x 0.753 2 L&G it basically turns soft oversized skirts that help stabilize into consistent little lasers.
I need a $1500 Hector Medina 54 in .177 or .20 to set the bar. I’m not into FT, don’t travel, never had the pleasure of trying every gun & scope known to man. But I have owned almost 200 airguns. Some of the most amazing springers were tuned by you old FT guys who don’t want a business but darn well know how to tune.
Yes Sir to OP. I’m happy to read your application for a spring gun. Springers aren’t dead folks. I wish to God Air Arms would make a semi recoiless again. Or someone would take the best of a 54 & a TX200SR & merge. At least springer Guru Lewis says that would be like the Holy Grail of recoiless spring guns over 10m FWB300.
So springer guys, please let me know:
A JIPA TO1-.TO6 .22 or .25 Models 48-52-54-56TH
A JIPA 350 Mag in .22 or .25 Older perfect TO1’s are worth more to me.
Any JIPA all metal 460 Magnum or K98 .22 or custom .25 Your own all metal custom sights are welcome additions.
Any TX200SR, FWB300 with fine sights. Maybe I’d trade the FX Elite, a pristine FWB800 Universal or just buy it outright.
Always here, always looking to guide newbies, always searching and dreaming of pellets in flight.
James Dingle.
