FX FX Impact M3 bottle threads strip 3rd case lookout FX

[mubhaur]

Hi
Surprisingly it was not the case with Impact mk1 and mk2 but three M3 have come to me with bottle threads stripped.

When some incident happens three times with three users in a country like mine, it makes me think about the reason.

I understand that it's the first time in M3 when the bottle threads perhaps made out of mild steal are screwed on the stainless steel part of 1st regulator.

I understand that upto mk2 both the threads, male female were made of mild steel. In those models this incidence was very rare.

I feel that stainless steel is a hard metal. When the bottle is tightened on the front stainless steel part of 1st regulator, the nature of combination of these two metals doesn't suit each other.

It's just like some metals get seized with certain metals while with the similar clearance other metals don't get seized.

I don't know whether anyone else in the world has faced this issue with M3 or not.

If there are more such cases, FX should change the combination of both metals being used in male and female threads.

As the regulator body is perhaps made of stainless steel, in all cases that came to me, the threads of regulator part are good but the threads inside the bottle are ruined to the extent that the gun has become very dangerous.

Please users keep an eye on this issue and play safe.

Regards,

Umair Bhaur

 

[madeintheuk]

I believe this is caused by use of silicone grease in the threads/orings. I’ve seen and heard of this often with the fx bottles binding when screwing on and off. To the point where the threads are damaged. All cases were using silicone grease. Silicone grease, while great for the longevity of orings, has zero lubricity. In speaking with other airgun manufacturers (like AAA), I have found that using krytox that is embedded with Teflon works much better to lubricate threads, and is safe for orings also. It is actually the re omended lubricant to use on AAA air rifles. Thai causes zero binding on threads, and can actually make it easier to remove and install the bottles.

Hope this helps.

 

[mubhaur]

I personally use molly grease to avoid binding and seize.

But the cases I am referring to never used silicon oil or silicon grease.

Bhaur

 

[madeintheuk]

I personally use molly grease to avoid binding and seize.

But the cases I am referring to never used silicon oil or silicon grease.

Bhaur

I’ve seen them come from the factory pre greased. Still could be the issue. Otherwise, I’d look into the possibility of cross threading or over tightening.

 

[Airgunmann]

I think it has to do with the threads being stainless and you have to pull the bottle off to change the reg settings or thats what they used to say so it getting screwed on and off more I've wrecked one on my raw as well taking the bottle on and off adjusting the reg settings I've since been using nickel anti seize with good luck

 

[bigHUN]

It happened to my MK2 as well, after some hundreds of removing the bottle I had to replace both threads last winter. And me also as well I was lubing those threads with silicon grease up to a moment started seizing... and deformed the threads on both parts. Molly grease since on threads no problem so far.
And btw when happened to me also couple more popular names here at AGN admit they had that situation as well.
So I would say this is a common outcome for the constantly removing bottle threads under high pressure and wrong lubing.

 

[Bigragu]

If the adapter threaded into the bottle is made out of aluminum, and the m3 reg is SS, well, we all know when doing a stainless fastener swap we must use nickel anti seize as the stainless fasteners will seize up in the aluminum threads. Problem is, being tied to HPA I wouldn’t feel right using nickel anti seize on those threads.

I’m with MADEINTHEUK, and find a suitable anti seize product that’s both safe for o rings and HPA.

I think a lot also has to do with the nature of the impact. People not very familiar with the tuning process and constantly removing the bottle to degas and adjust their regs, could be a contributing factor. Long arca rails that are the norm now don’t allow an easy grip on the bottle with the barrel in place. Easy to cross thread if not paying attention.

Ever hear of the term “ham fisted”? Yes, some ham fisted fellows will tighten that bottle as if it were a nut to an engine hoist, multiple times while sweating over a tune. Something is gonna break

 

[mubhaur]

I am thinking of making the bottle adopter out of stainless steel also.

I hope it would not seize. Any mechanical engineer here can guide about it.

 

[bigHUN]

The Stainless Steel is not just a simple SS, in America I meat at least 5-6 variations of that legure. And it is soft, not the best for threads and soft for digs as well, softer then any other tool steel. Also can corrode or rust depend which one you will use. I am now retired for a long enough time that the memory is like a gold fish and kind a lazy to look for my notes, but I am sure you will figure something