FX .177 barrels

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jps2486

jps2486

Member
Apr 20, 2015
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Onalaska, WI, United States
I recently bought an FX Dreamline Tact Compact in .177 caliber. I enjoy shooting it very much and it's a pleasant change from the larger calibers. After about 100 shots of mixed pellets and slugs, the accuracy goes to hell fast. Cleaning with a tight pull through patch yeilds a lot of lead flakes on the patch. When pulling through the choke area, it's very difficult pulling that patchworm through the last two inches and I have to wrap the string around a screwdriver handle to do so. BTW, I wet my patches with Ballistol. I'm assuming the leading is coming from the choke area. Have any of you noticed similar results? Thanks.
 
Oh man! Same here, I have been through 3 liners, I believe you are absolutely right! The choke is way too tight, I did try smoothing it out and no luck? All my issues have been with 600 mm? I had a couple of good old 500mm, so I cut the barrel down to 500 and I’m happy, but that was very frustrating? I don’t know what is going on with .177? But it’s a long shot from the other calibers? No pellet or slug was close to acceptable, even at 50 yds, the 500mm are good for hunting, 1/2” at 50, not world class like we see in the other calibers?


 
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Interesting, no issues with my 300mm compact 177 barrel. Even shot 12.5 grain nsa slugs out to 110 yards with excellent results. Maybe try brass bush and then polish the crap out of the choke area. It’s kind of customary for me to polish the choke of new barrels, used bore paste for about 100 stokes, shouldn’t taken off much but should make it quite Smooth. 
 
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Interesting, no issues with my 300mm compact 177 barrel. Even shot 12.5 grain nsa slugs out to 110 yards with excellent results. Maybe try brass bush and then polish the crap out of the choke area. It’s kind of customary for me to polish the choke of new barrels, used bore paste for about 100 stokes, shouldn’t taken off much but should make it quite Smooth.
Click to expand...

Please elaborate on excellent results, I am very curious, thanks
 
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Interesting, no issues with my 300mm compact 177 barrel. Even shot 12.5 grain nsa slugs out to 110 yards with excellent results. Maybe try brass bush and then polish the crap out of the choke area. It’s kind of customary for me to polish the choke of new barrels, used bore paste for about 100 stokes, shouldn’t taken off much but should make it quite Smooth.
Click to expand...

Please elaborate on excellent results, I am very curious, thanks
Click to expand...


50 yards was about 1/2 inch or less and 100 yards about 1-1.5 inch. Was able to hit walnut sized rocks at 110 yards with regularity and ease. 


edit: tuning slugs for such short barrel is pretty challenging though. I got just about all the 177 holes touching at 50 yards them I F’ed it up by trying to improve and now I’m trying to get back to where I was. Still think I can hit a sparrow at 100 yards as it is though. 
 
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Interesting, no issues with my 300mm compact 177 barrel. Even shot 12.5 grain nsa slugs out to 110 yards with excellent results. Maybe try brass bush and then polish the crap out of the choke area. It’s kind of customary for me to polish the choke of new barrels, used bore paste for about 100 stokes, shouldn’t taken off much but should make it quite Smooth.
Click to expand...

Please elaborate on excellent results, I am very curious, thanks
Click to expand...


50 yards was about 1/2 inch or less and 100 yards about 1-1.5 inch. Was able to hit walnut sized rocks at 110 yards with regularity and ease. 


edit: tuning slugs for such short barrel is pretty challenging though. I got just about all the 177 holes touching at 50 yards them I F’ed it up by trying to improve and now I’m trying to get back to where I was. Still think I can hit a sparrow at 100 yards as it is though.
Click to expand...

👍🏻 Thanks Q
 
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I have a .177 600mm STX superior on a M3. I heard that STX barrels often don't require much cleaning. My observation is the same as yours. After 100-200 shots I loose accuracy very fast. I shoot a lot and in about 2 months put over 5K pellets through my M3 and the situation was still the same. 95% of my shooting is with JSB, FX or AirArm pellets at 12 - 20 FPE. I followed Orion the Iguana Hunter's video on polishing the barrel. He was even kind enough to call me to walk me through the process before I did it. Ernest Rowe has a video out on polishing the barrel but that protocol requires a lathe. I used a tipton rod, Rolite metal polish that Orion suggests, but did not use the JB Bore cleaner (Orion indicated on the phone that is not necessary). The smooth bore grooves were not aggressive enough to spin the Tipton rod. If you can't find the video on youtube, you can PM me. Also, since I was insecure about making matters worse, Orion suggested that I only polish for 15 minutes instead of 30.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vquzP0dGwN0

Post polishing things have changed for the better, but I'm hopeful for potentially improved results in the future.... Took about 50 shots to regain accuracy. Accuracy is maintained longer, say around 250-300 shots, and when I clean (Patchworm, Ballistol, patches wet then dry) it only takes 2-3 wet patches and 1-2 dry patches. The 1st patch comes out FILTHY. Still need half a magazine (15 shots) for the barrel to settle down.

I probably won't polish anymore until I can find a backup 177 FX replacement barrel. I've inquired everywhere with no luck. If anyone knows of a source, please LMK.



Good luck
 
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I do the lazy man's polish typically, which involves rubbing slugs or pellets on a piece of glass and jb bore polish then bore bright to finish. Alternating between coated and uncoated. Number of pellets or slugs I use varies from barrel to barrel. It's good to slug the barrel as well to make sure you aren't over-doing it.

My stx pellet barrel that was fouling with pellets around 300 shots has never needed to be cleaned again. 
 
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More info. I pulled the liner from the rifle after cleaning. I pushed a NSA 12.5 dia slug through it. The slug measured 0.178 and after it pushed it through it measured 0.174. It was kinda difficult to push the slug trough, especially at the choked end. The slug was shiny all the way around indicating contact with the bore. IMO, this is way too tight. I sent an email to NSA asking if they intend to make their .177 slugs of smaller diameter just as they do with other calibers. Now the polishing begins.

IMG-6026.1636751811.jpg
IMG-6027.1636751820.jpg

 
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My experiences with slugs in a .22 500 superior pellet liner destroyed my accuracy for pellets with only four slugs shot. I about went crazy trying to figure out what happened to my previous accuracy with pellets? I eventually bought a new liner and accuracy returned to excellence with pellets.

After the new liner I began to take a closer look at my old liner and holding towards good bright natural light looking through the liner with a magnifying glass I could see very heavy lead deposits at the choke end.

I pushed slugs and pellets through the liner backwards and removed a ton of lead, but have yet to reinstall that liner to see the results but guarantee it will be much better.

The NSA slugs were very tight in the choke leaving lots of lead behind in the pellet liner destroying the accuracy for the pellets when simply switching back without a thorough cleaning.

Take a look at the choke end with the magnifying glass with good outside light...you may see lots of lead.

Hope this helps.
 
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